of the passion and deth of Christ accordynge to the dignitie and worthynesse therof The fyfte article And the thyrde daye he rose againe from deathe BY this article it appereth / howe our sauiour Iesus Christ after he hadde conquered and spoyled the deuyll and hell he retourned agayn from thens like a most mighty kyng conquerour in triumphe and glory and so resumed and toke agayn his blessed natural body the thirde day after his said deth And so doynge rose out of that sepulcre in his naturall and perfecte manhode that is to say in his soule and in the selfe same body whiche was borne of the virgin Mary and dyd hang vpon the crosse After whiche resurrection he was conuersaunt in the worlde by the space of forty dayes and did eate and drinke with his apostles and his disciples and preached vnto them authorised them to go forthe into the worlde to manifest and declare that he was the very Christ the very Messias and the very god and man whiche was promysed in scripture to come to saue and to redeeme all those that beleuynge in hym ordered them selues in obeying and folowynge his preceptes and commaundementes accordyngly In this article of Resurrection it is to be noted that there is nothynge that can in all aduersitie and trouble be more ioyefull and comfortable vnto vs than the belefe of this article that Christe rose againe from corporall deathe to lyfe and that we shall also do the same The faythe and belefe of this if we do continue in lyuynge well is our victory and triumph ouer the deuyll hell and death and a speciall remedy to put away the horrour and feare of theym for as moche as hereby we be assured that as deathe coulde not holde Christe euen soo it can not holde vs whiche are by a chrysten faythe the very membres and body of Christe but that we shall ryse from deathe and lyue agayne in glorye with hym euerlastyngely yf we order and conforme our wyll in this worlde to his preceptes And the onely hope hereof shoulde make vs not to feare the aduersities in this worlde bycause we lyuyng as afore be assured to haue a better and more glorious lyfe after this as sainte Paule wryteth to the Corinthians sayinge i. Cor. xv If we christen menne bad no hope of other lyfe than this that is present than were we the moste myserable of all menne But nowe Christe is rysen againe from deathe and hath declared therby that there is a life after this lyfe whiche all christen men hope to come to Accordyng herevnto sayth saint Augustine All the hope of our faythe standeth in this pointe that we shall ryse agayne Hebr. xi This made the faythefull and good men of whom saint Paul speketh to the Hebrues to refuse to be preserued from bodyly death bycause they loked assuredly for a better resurrection Of this article the epistles of saint Paul and the newe testament be full to the Romayns he writeth Christ rose againe for our iustification Rom. iiii ii Tim. ii Act. i. ◠to Timothe he sayth Remēber that Iesus Christ is risen agein from death The apostles besides other names perteynyng to their office be specially called the wytnesses of Christis resurrection the whiche resurrection as it was by many and sundry apparitions and other infallible argumentes declared and proued vnto them so they dyd in all places and at all tymes open and inculcate the same as a special and a chiefe article of Christes doctrine wherin shulde depende and rest the greate comforte and solace of all true and faithfull beleuers in Christ Moreouer by this article it is not onely confyrmed vnto vs howe the naturall bodye of man shall after the corporall deth and departyng out of this present lyfe aryse again as is before expressed but also by this resurrection of our sauiour Christ we be admonyshed that as Christe after his death rose agayne so we dyinge from sinne shulde ryse agayn and walke in a newe life of spirite and grace The syxte article ¶ He ascended into heauen / and sytteth on the ryght hande of god the father almyghty THis article conteineth howe our sauiour IESVS CHRISTE after that he had perfectely accomplisshed and performed the hole mistery of the redemption of mankynde by his incarnation his birthe his passion his deathe his buriall his descendinge into hell and rysynge agayn from deathe to lyfe and after he had bene here in earthe conuersant with his apostles and disciples by the space of forty dayes after his resurrection whan he was amonge the apostles he in theyr syght ascended vp into heauen in the very same his naturally body whyche was borne of the blessed virgine his mother and was crucified vpon the crosse and so did withdrawe his accustomed visible conuersation from the presēs of his apostles and from the bodily syght of all other creatures By remembraunce wherof both they and we shuld here in earthe eleuate and lyfte vp our hole hartes myndes desyres and all affections from earthely thynges and frome all carnall and worldly cares towardes heauen and heauenly thinges and soo shulde by his grace prepare our hartes and make our selues mete and apte to receiue his spirituall gyftes which he sendeth into the worlde In this article also is exppressed howe our sauiour Christe beinge ascended into heauen sytteth on the ryght hande of god the father that is to say hath and shall euer haue communicate vnto hym of god the father glorye honour felicitie power and euerlastynge monarchye gouernaunce rule and dominyon ouer all the pryncipates potestates powers dominions and ouer all creatures that can be named eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come to be ordeyned kyng of al kynges and lorde of all lordes and all thynges in heauen and earth to be caste vnder his fete and made subiecte vnto hym and he is appointed the onely head of the vniuersall catholike churche whiche is his mysticall body And lykewise as the head always excelleth all the other membres so Christe doth excelle incomparably in honour and dignitie all the members of his sayde bodye the Churche whereof he is the onely perfection and consummation and is also the onely eternall prieste and bysshoppe of his sayde churche that is to saye the onely mediatour betwene god and mankinde the redemer intercessour and aduocate for the remyssion of synnes as hereafter in this boke it shall more at large appere And it is to be noted that although the intercession and mediation by prayer of sayntes departed and of such the membres of the catholike churche as be yet lyuynge on earthe be good acceptable and profitable vnto vs yet that is onely by the mediation and intercession of Christe our head in whom god the father is pleased and contented and through whom saintes departed this lyfe and raigning in heauen with Christe and suche as truely confesse Christ in the churche catholyke yet liuing may and do effectually pray for
obserue the said lawes gyuen by his seruaunt Moyses After the whiche admonitions many tymes so gyuen by the prophetes and nothynge regarded almyghty god of his infinite goodnes and inestimable mercy for the loue that he beare to mankynde dyd send at the last in to the worlde his onely begotten sonne being his eternal wisdome by whome in the begynnyng he dyd create heauen and earthe and all creatures in them to take vpon hym mans nature for to redeme mankynde and to teache the world the truth of his lawes and by what meanes the world might by faythe to be gyuen to his wordes and doctrine amende theyr lyues and atteyne to comme to the lyfe in heauen folowyng hym in his doctrine who was the waye to come to the father the Truthe to atteyne the knowlege of the father and the Lyfe it selfe wherin he shulde finally leade them to come vnto the father vnto whom god the father commaundyng the worlde to gyue full credence sayd to all men Ipsum audire beare hym Mat. xvii Wherfore the sayd sonne of god in the wombe of the blessed virgin called Mary dyd take vppon him of her very fleshe nature and substance mans nature and beyng conceiued by the holy gost was borne of her body and dyd vnite and conioyne togither the same nature of man takē of the substāce of the said most blessed virgin with his godheade in one persone with suche an indissoluble and inseparable knotte and bonde that he beynge one persone IESVS CHRISTE was is and euer shall be in the same persone verye perfecte god and very perfecte man whiche holy worke of the incarnation was not wrought by the seede of man but by the holy goste in the sayde moste blessed virgine without any motion of concupiscence or spotte of synne and was accomplysshed without any violation or detriment vnto the virginitie of that blessed virgine saint Mary who bothe in the conception and also in the byrth and natiuitie of our sauiour IESV CHRIST her chylde and euer after reteyned styll her virginitie pure and immaculate and as clere without blotte as she was at the tyme that she was fyrst borne The fourth article Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate / was crucified dead buried and descended into hell FOr declaration of this article it shal be expedient brefely to repete the processe of a great part of our sauiour Christis lyfe from the beginninge vnto the tyme of his most glorious passion with the same passion also and the descense of his soule into hell wherfore we must vnderstande that Christe very god and man after he was conceyued and borne of his blessed mother waxed and lyued forthe here in the worlde vntyll he came vnto the .xxxiii. yere of his age and that in all this tyme of his lyfe he suffred and endured for our sakes and our welthe also for our example moche bodyly affliction moche labour moch trauaile moche hunger thyrst and pouertie moche iniury and ignominy and many other such miseries and infirmities as all mortall men be subiecte vnto syn and ignorance onely except so passed ouer al the hole course of his lyfe euen frō his natiuitie vntyll his death in suche perfect obedience vnto the lawes of god and man accordyng to the wyll of his father and in suche perfecte innocencye of lyuing that no faute or blame of lyuynge ne any offence or transgression coulde iustly and truly be laid against him and yet the blynd ignorant and obstinate Iewes replete with enuy and malice as the very members of the deuyll by whom they were prouoked and enduced thervnto laboured continually by all craft and meanes they coulde to dystroye hym and at length conspiring togither they toke him serching and procuringe false wytnesse to accuse hym and after they had bette him and spette in his face and vsed al the vyllany they could vnto him they boūd him and brought him before Pontius Pilatus beinge than the chiefe iudge in Ierusalem vnder the emperour of Rome and there they most falsely accused hym as a subuerter of the lawes of god and as a persone that seduced the people and moued sedition amonge them and as a traitour against the emperour of Rome after whiche accusations our sayde sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ was greuousely scourged by the commaundement of Pylate and had a crown of thorne put vpon his head by the souldiours of the garrison and was by them not onely moste spitefully mocked and scorned but also most cruelly tormented and afflycted and after this he was at the last in publike and open iugement condemned by the sentence of the said iudge to be crucified to the intent he shoulde suffer that kynde of deathe whyche amonge the Iewes was euer most abhorred and detested and accompted to be the moste shamefull and cursed of all other and so accordynge to the sayde sentence the souldiours of the garryson crucified hym that is to say they nayled hym throughe handes and feete to a crosse and hanged hym vppon the same betwene two theues vpon a certayne hyll callyd Caluary vntyl he was deade and after he was thus deade one Ioseph of Aramathia beynge one of Christis disciples obteyned lycence of the sayde iudge to take downe the blessed bodye of oure sauioure IESV CHRIST from the sayde crosse and that done he and an other of Christis disciples callyd Nicodemus wrapped and foolded the same bodye in a cleane syndon and soo layde it and buryed it in a newe graue or sepulchre whyche the sayde Ioseph had made a stone wherein there was neuer man buried before and after he was thus crucified and deade vppon the crosse he descended in soule into hell and losed the peynes or sorowes therof wherwith it was not possible that he shulde be holden and conquered and oppressed bothe the deuyll and hell and also deathe it selfe wherevnto all mankynde was condemned by the falle of oure forefather Adam into synne The proces of our sauiour Iesu Christis life deathe buriall and discence to hell thus declared it is specially to be noted and to be beleued for a certaine truthe that our sayde sauyour in all the tyme of his moste bytter and greuous passion and in sufferynge his moste peynfull and cruell deathe not only indured and susteyned for our redemption all the peynes and iniuries and all the obprobries and ignominies whiche were done to hym mooste pacientely withoute resistence and like an innocent lambe but also that he did wyllyngly and gladly suffer this crosse and this kinde of deathe for our example that we shulde folowe the steppes of hym in pacyence and humylitie and that we shulde beare our owne crosse as he did beare his and that we shoulde also hate and abhorre all synne knowinge for suretie that who so euer dothe not in his harte hate and abhorre synne but rather accompteth the breache and violation of goddis commandement but as a lyght matter and of small weyght and importance he estemeth not the price value
penance as he had at the firste entrie vnto Christis religion by the sacrament of Baptisme It is also to be noted that confessiō to the priest is in the church profitably commanded to be vsed and frequented for many other good causes specially for this cause that they whiche by custome be drowned in synne se not the abhomination and fil thines therof ne remembre the goodnes of god and want therfore contrition may by a good gostly father be stirred and moued to deteste lament their sinne by declaring vnto thē the word of god in such scriptures as serue for that purpose in suche wyse that not only contrition shal arise in the hart to the pleasure of god but also satisfaction ensue wherwith goddis merciful goodnes shal be cōtēted So that the wordes of absolutiō may be effectually pronoūced to the penitēt of the remissiō of his synnes Fynally it is to be remembred that not withstādynge this waye before described is the ordinary meane for penitent synners to opteine remission of synnes to be reconciled to the fauour of god yet in case there lacke a minister to pronounce the wordes of absolution or in tyme of necessitie whan a sinner hath not sufficient leysure or oportunitie to do the workes of penance before declared if he truly repent him of his sinful life and withal his hart purpose through goddis grace to change amende the same he shal vndoubtedly haue pardon and forgyuenes of all his missedoynges For as saynt Cyprian sayeth Euen in the houre of deathe whan the soule is ready to departe out of the body the greate mercifull goodnes of god despiseth not penaunce In so muche that than neither the greatnes of sinne nor the shortenes of tyme nor yet the enormitie of lyfe excludeth from the mercy of god if there be tru contrition and an vnfayned chaunge of the harte from synnefull conuersation The these that hanged vpon the crosse asked mercye with a contryte harte and forthwith was made a citezen of Paradise and where as he deserued condemnation punyshement this contrite hart changed his peyn into martyrdome and his bloude into baptisme yet not withstandyng no mā ought vpon hope of goddis mercy stil to continue in sinfull lyuing Like as no man wold be sycke in his body vpon hope to recouer helth For such as wyll not forsake theyr wickednes and yet thinke that god wyl forgyue them be oftentymes so preuented with the iuste plage of god that neither they haue time to cōuert nor grace to receyue the benefitte of forgyuenesse Therfore scripture saith Slacke not to conuert and tourne to god And linger not from day to day For his angre wyll come sodeynly in the time of vengeance he wyll distroy the. Wherfore imbracyng the mercy of god on the one syde and fearynge the iustyce of god on the other side Let vs at no time neyther dispayre mā ought to reson ouer farre nor go about to compasse the will and worke of god by his weake sense and ymagination But we muste without further serching giue firme assent and credence vnto Christis almighty worde by the whiche heauen earth were made not trouble our wittes in labouryng to comprehend the power and might of god but rather stedfastly giuing fayth to his word apply our hole wil and affection to atteine the fruite and profite of this moste holy sacrament towardes our saluation according to th entent of Christis institution Who of his inestimable mercy loue towardes vs willing that we shuld haue perfit hope strēgth comforte and ioy in him and that we shuld haue cōtinuall remembrance of his most dere charitie shewed towardes vs in his death and passion dyd institute this sacrament as a permanent memorial of his mercy and the wonderful worke of our redemptiō a perpetual fode nourishement for our spiritual sustentation in this dangerous passage and trauaile of this wretched life It is therfore necessary that in the vsyng receiuing beholding of this sacramēt we haue harty remēbrance of our most louing dere sauiour Iesu Christe that is to say that we thinke effectuously of his most bitter passiō whiche he being the lord of glory suffred for vs. And to be waile our synnes which were cause of the sayd death passion callyng mekely for grace and the mercy of god which most abundantly is obteined by the vertue merite of the same passion And thinking that our lord which gaue him self in that maner for vs wyll not forsake vs or cast vs awaye but forgiue vs if we truely repent and wyll amende become faithfull seruantes to hym whiche so derely hath bought vs paied for vs neither golde ne yet siluer as sainte Peter saith but his owne precious bloud Wherfore seinge we be so bought i. Pet. i. we muste know that we be not our owne that is to say We may not be at the libertie wildnes of our owne fleshe nor we maye not be seruantes to the worlde nor the deuyl but we must be seruantes to our lord maister Iesu Christ in all obediēce vnto rightwisenes godlines according to his wil cōmandementes Therfore when so euer we shall receyue or vse this holy sacrament we must take hede and haue reuerence to the maiestie therof and beware that we come not vnworthely thervnto i. Cor. xi For as saint Paule saith He that eateth of that heauēly fode or drinketh of the cuppe of our lord vnworthely that is to say without due reuerence faith repentance charitie the feare of god he eateth drinketh his own dānation bicause he putteth no difference betwene the body of our lord and other meates And further truly sense christen men ought to haue remembrāce of god whensoeuer they go to theyr bodely meate or drinke receiue it not without thanckes giuing vnto god as saint Paule saith whether ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do i. Cor. x. do it in the name of our lord Iesu Christ how moch more ought all christen men whan they come to be fed at the table of our lorde and to receiue this blessed and glorious sacrament to haue special entier deuotion with most thāckefull remembrance to god for his goodnes declared towardes vs in the benefite of our redemptiō And therfore amonges other names this sacrament is called Eucharistia that is to saye the sacrament of thankes and blessinge For as moche as it setteth before vs and doth exhibite vnto vs the very price of our redemtion and saluation whiche is the body of our lorde that suffred and died for vs. Furthermore here is to be noted as touching the receyuyng of this sacrament that although our sauiour Iesus Christ at the first institution therof in his supper did minister it vnto his disciples thā present vnder both the kindes of bread wine Yet that fascion maner of ministring is not so necessary to the receyuer excepte it be
be it by goddis grace mercy it raigneth not nor is of god accompted for synne nor is hurtful but only to them that by consent yeld vnto it It wyl neuer cesse but one way or an other it wyll euer assaut vs if we do not fight with it and resist it continually it will ouercome vs and brynge vs into bondage so that the deuyll by this our concupiscence and our consent all vice and synnes be ingendred lyke as betwene man and woman children be ingendred accordinge to the sayinge of saynte Iames where he sayth Iacob i. Concupiscence whan she doth conceyue she bringeth forth synne and that of all sortes that is to say first actes and dedes contrary to the lawes of god and after that vse and custome of the same deedes and at length blyndnes and contempt For so the wise man sayth Pro. xviii The wycked man whan he cometh to the bottome of sinne setteth nought therby but blinded with euyl custome either thinketh the sinne that he vseth to be no sinne orels if he take it for syn yet he carith not for it but either vpon vain trust of the mercy of god which is in dede no right trust but a very presumptiō he wil cōtinue stil in purpose to syn orels vpon vain hope of long lyfe he wyll prolonge differre delay to do penance for the same vntyll the last ende of his life And so ofttimes preuented with sodaine death dieth without repentance Wherfore considering how daungerous it is to fal into sinne and how harde it is to arise the chief and the best way is to resist with goddis helpe the firste suggestion vnto synne not to suffre it to preuayle with vs but as soone as may be to putte it out of our myndes For if we suffre it to tary any whyle in our hartes it is great perill lest that consent and dede wyll folowe shortly after Secondly that our sauiour Iesus Christe teacheth not vs in this syxt petition to pray vnto god our father that we shuld be clerely without al temptation but that he wol not suffre vs to be ledde into temptation that is to say that whan we be tempted he woll giue vs grace to withstand it and not suffre vs to be ouercome therwith according whervnto saint Paule saith God is true and faithful i. Cor. ii and wyll not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we maye beare but he wyl so moderate the temptation that we may susteyne ouercome it And saint Iames sayth Iacob i. Thinke that you haue a great cause to ioye whan you be troubled with diuerse temptations For the trienge of your faith bringeth pacience and pacience maketh perfect workes so that you may be perfect and sound lackynge in nothyng And almighty god also exhorteth vs and calleth vpon vs to fyght against temptations Iaco. i. saying He that getteth the victory agaynste them I shall gyue hym to eate of the tree of lyfe And againe he sayeth Apo. ii He that ouercometh them shall not be burte with the seconde deathe And saynte Paule saith ii Tim. ii No man shall be crowned excepte be fight laufully that is to say excepte he defende him selfe and resist his enemies at all pointes to his power And our sauiour giueth vs a good courage to fyght in this battaile Iohn xvi where he saieth Be of good comforte for I haue ouercome the world that is to say I haue had the victory of all synnes and temptations and so shall you haue if the faute be not in your selues For ye fyght with an aduersary whiche is already vanquyshed and ouercome The seuenth petition But delyuer vs from euyll IT is firste to be noted that lyke as in the syxte petition Christe taught vs to desyre of our heauenly father that we shuld not be ouercome with temptation ne broughte into synne so nowe in this seuenth and laste petition he teacheth vs to pray hym that if by frailenes we fall in to the captiuitie of the deuyll by synne he wyll soone delyuer vs from it not to lette vs contynue in it not to lette it take roote in vs not to suffre synne to raigne vpon vs but to delyuer vs free from it Synne is the exceding euyll from the whiche in this petytion we desyre to be delyuered And though in this petitō be also cōprehended all euils in the worlde as syckenes pouertie derth with other lyke aduersities yet chiefly it is to be vnderstande of synne whiche onely of it selfe is euyl and ought euer without condition to be eschued And as for other aduersyties neither we can ne ought to refuse whan god shall sende them neither we ought to pray for the eschuyng of them otherwyse than with this condition yf goddis pleasure so be Many thynges we suffre in this worlde and take theym for euyll but they be not euyll of them selfe All affections dyseases punysshementes and tormentes of the bodye all the troubles of this worlde and all aduersities be good and necessarye instrumentes of god for our saluation For god hym selfe who can not saye other than truthe sayeth Those that I loue I chastise Apoc i◠Hebr. xii And agayne the apostle sayeth He receyueth none but whom he scourgeth This is tyme of scourgynge and the tyme to come is the tyme of reste ease and blysse And surely it is a great token that we be in the fauour of god whan he dothe scourge vs and trieth and fyneth vs lyke golde in the fyre whyles we be in this worlde As contrary it is a greate token of his indignation towardes vs to suffre vs lyuyng euyll to continue in prosperitie and to haue all thynges after our wylle and pleasure and neuer to trouble vs or punyshe vs with aduersitie Therfore our sauiour Christ Iesus who knoweth what is best for vs teacheth vs to praye and desyre to be deliuered not chiefly from worldly afflictiōs trouble and aduersitie whiche god sendeth abundantly euen to them whom he best loueth and with whome he is best pleased But the euyll which we moste chiefely shulde pray to be delyuered from is Synne whych of it selfe is so euyll that in no wyse god can be pleased therwith And bycause our ancient enemy the deuyl who is the well and sprynge of iniquitie and is not onely hym selfe an homicide a lyer and an hater of the truth from the beginning but also is the very rote and occasion of all synne and the common prouoker and styrer of man to the same and the letter and hinderer of all vertue and goodnes bycause this ennemy neuer ceasseth but continually sercheth by all craftes and wyles to enduce vs to synne and so to deuoure vs and to bryng vs therby to euerlasting damnation Therfore lyke as we desyre here to be deliuered from synne so also we desyre that our heauenly father wyll saue vs and defend vs from this euyll the causer of synne that is to say
coupled togyther conteining as it is aforesayde the obedience to the hole doctrine and religion of Christe And here is to be noted that euery man that dothe offende god dothe not lose his faythe therby For they that synne by frailtie and sodeyn motions whiche iuste men doo not auoyde and be taughte therfore of Christ to say in their Pater noster Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynste vs Yet those men so breaking their promyse with god and slackyng in suche care and desyre as they shulde haue to please god neuerthelesse be not accompted to haue lost theyr fayth therby yea they also who after the knowlege of god fall into deadly synne aduisedly as they that committe murther adultery and other abhominations and soo falle from faythe as it is taken in the seconde acception and be therfore out of the state of grace and fauour of god for the tyme yet do not those men fall frome fayth as it is taken in the fyrst acception Luc. xii that is to saye from certayne and assured knowledge of god and his doctrine And therfore the gospell speaketh of a seruaunt that knoweth the wyl of his lord and dothe it not And saynt Iames in his epistle sayeth Iacob ii that Faythe may remayne without charitie Wherfore a transgressour of the lawe of almyghty God after baptisme kepeth styll a remorse of conscience and the lyghte of knowledge by Faythe wherby he seeth the remedyes howe to atteyne remyssion of synne and by a special gyfte of further grace is moued to vse the same remedyes and so by faythe walketh the wayes ordeined to atteine remission of sinnes as in the sacrament of penance shal be declared Thus we haue shewed two acceptions of fayth and declared that the fayth of knowledge may remayne in hym that hath fallen from fayth after the second acception But whether there be any special particular knowlege which man by faith hath certainly of him self wherby he may testify to him selfe that he is of the predestinates which shal to th ende perseuere in their callynge we haue not spoken ne can not in scripture ne doctours find that any such faith can be taught or preached Truth it is that in the sacramētes instituted by Christ we may cōstantly beleue the workes of god in them to our present comfort and applycation of his grace and fauour with assurance also that he wyll not faile vs if we fall not from hym Wherfore so continuinge in the state of grace with hym we may beleue vndoubtedly to be saued But forasmoche as our owne frailty and naughtynes ought euer to be feared in vs it is therfore expedient for vs to lyue in contynuall watche and continuall fight with our enemies the deuyl the fleshe and the world and not to presume to moche of our perseuerance contynuance in the state of grace which on our behalfe is vncertayne and vnstable For although goddis promises made in Christe be immutable yet he maketh them not to vs but with cōdition so that his promise standyng we may yet faile of the promise bicause we kepe not our promise And therfore if we assuredly recken vpon the state of our felicitie as grounded vppon goddis promise and do not therwith remēbre that no man shal be crowned onles he laufully fight we shal triumph before the victory and so loke in vain for that whiche is not otherwise promised but vnder a condition And this euery christen man must assuredly beleue ¶ The Crede or the .xii. articles of the christen faythe iI Beleue in god the fatheralmighty maker of heauen and earth ii And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde iii whiche was conceiued by the holy goste borne of the virgine Mary iiii Suffred vnder Pōce Pylate was crucified dead buried and descended into hell v And the third day he rose agein frō deth vi He ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty vii From thens he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade viii I beleue in the holy goste ix The holy catholike churche x The communyon of sayntes The forgyuenes of synnes xi The resurrection of the body xii And the lyfe euerlastynge Amen THE NOTES Here folowe certayne notes for the better vnderstanding of this Crede FIrst it is to be noted that all and singular the .xii. articles conteined in this Crede be so necessarye to be beleued for mans saluation that who so euer wyll not constantly beleue them or wyll obstinately affirme the contrary of theym can not be the very members of Christe and his espouse the churche but are very infidelles or heretikes and members of the deuel with whom they shall be perpetually damned Secondly it is to be noted that all true christen men ought and muste moste constantly beleue maynteyne and defende all those thinges to be true whiche be comprehended in this Crede and in the other .ii. credes wherof the one is vsed to be sayde at masse and is approued by the auncyen generall councelles the other was made by the holye man Athanasius And also all other thynges which be cōprehended in the hole body canon of the bible Thirdly that all true christen men ought and must not onely repute take and holde all the sayde thynges for the most holy most sure and most certayne and infallible truthes of goddis worde and suche as neyther oughte ne can be altered or conuelled by any contrarye opinion or authoritie but also must take interpretate all the same thynges accordynge to the selfe same sentence and interpretation whiche the wordes of scripture do signifie and the holy approued doctours of the churche do agreably intreate and defende Fourthly that all true christen men ought and must vtterly refuse and condemne al those opiniōs contrary to the said .xii. articles of our crede whiche were of longe tyme paste condemned in the .iiii. holy counsels that is to say in the counsel of Nece Constanstinople Ephese and Calcidonense The fyrst article I beleue in god the father almighty maker of heauen and earthe FOr the plain vnderstandinge hereof euery materiall worde of this article shal be declared hereafter And first we muste knowe God that God is a spiritual and an inuisible substance or nature of infinite power and eternall without beginning or endyng of incomprehensible knowlege wysdome goodnes iustice and mercy and that there is but one very god thre persons the father the sonne the holy gost that these thre persons be not three goddis but all one god one nature one substance all one euerlastinge essence or being and all lyke and equall in might power wisdome knowlege rightwysnes and all other thynges belongyng vnto the deitie And that besyde or without this god there is none other god Moreouer we must knowe that god the father is the fyrst persone in trinitie Father and Father of his onely begotten sonne the second persone in
iugement whan Christ shall come as in the seuēth article of this Crede is conteyned and syt to iudge both quycke and dead almighty god shall stirre and raise vp againe the very fleshe and bodies of all men women and children bothe good and bad christened heathen that euer lyued here in this world from the beginning of the same and died before that day And althoughe the sayd fleshe and bodies were dead and buryed yea and consumed or by any meanes destroyed yet god shall of his infinite power make them all at that daye hole and perfite again And so euery man generally shal resume and take againe the verye selfe same body and fleshe whiche he had whiles he liued here on earthe and so shall ryse from deathe lyue againe in the very selfe same body and soule which he had before At whiche tyme man beyng thus made perfit in coniunction of body and soule shall at that day appere before the highe iudge our sauiour IESV CHRIST and there shall make an accompte of his workes and his dedes suche as he dyd good or euyll while he liued here in this worlde And suche as haue ledde theyr liues in obedience and obseruation of goddis commandementes and die in true faith and charitie shal than be perfitely sanctified purified and deliuered from al contagion of sinne and from all corruption and mortalitie of the flesh and shall be perpetually glorified receyue bothe in body and soule together euerlastyng lyfe Whiche lyfe euerlastynge thoughe it passeth al mennes wittes to expresse how pleasant and ioyful it is nor yet mannes capacitie can compryse and vnderstande the same as saynte Paule wytnesseth saieng That which the eie hath not sene nor the eare hath not herde nor hath not entred in to mans harte i. Cor. ◠God hath ordeyned for them that loue him Yet holy scripture speketh of it after our capacitie and intelligence but farre vnder the worthynes and excellency therof The prophet Esaie saith Esa xxxv Euerlasting gladnes shall be ouer their heades they shall haue ioy and gladnes sorowe wayling shall forsake them Apoc. vii And saynte Iohn saythe God that sytteth on his throne shall dwell ouer them They shall not hunger or thyrst any more neyther sonne nor heare shal hurte them for the lambe that is in the myddes of the throne shall feede them and brynge them to the fountaines of the water of life And god shal wipe away all wepyng and teares from theyr eyes death shall endure no longer There shall be no waylyng nor cryenge nor sorowe any more Yea there is no ioy or comfort that can be wished for but it is there most plentifully There is true glory where prayse shall be without errour or flatterye There is true honour whiche shall be giuen to none onles he be worthy There is true peace where no man shal be molested or greued neyther by hym selfe nor by others There is true and pleasant felowship where is the company of blessed angels and the elect and chosen saintes of god There is true and perfecte loue that neuer shall fayle For all the heauenly company is linked and fastened together by the bond of perfecte charitie wherby also they be vnyted and knytte to almyghty god euerlastyngly Fynally there is the true rewarde of al godlynesse God hym selfe The syghte and fruition of whom is the ende and rewarde of all our beliefe and all our good workes and of all those thinges whiche were purchased for vs by CHRISTE he shall be our sacietie our fulnesse and desyre he shal be our life our helth our glory our honour our peace our euerlasting reste and ioye He is the ende of all our desyres whom we shall see continually whom we shall loue moste feruently whom we shall prayse and magnify world with out ende ¶ The sacrament of Baptisme AS touchyng the holy sacrament of Baptisme it is to be noted Fyrst that this sacrament was instituted and ordeyned by our sauiour IESV CHRISTE in the newe testament as it doth appeere by Christis owne wordes vnto his apostles where he sayeth Go ye abrode through out all the world Math. xxviii and preache the gospel vnto al people and baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy goste Furthermore that the effecte and vertue of this sacramente is forgyuenes of synne and grace of the holy goste as is manifestely declared in the seconde chapiter of the actes of the apostles where it is sayde Do penance and be baptised euery one of you and ye shall haue forgyuenes of synne and shall receiue the gyfte of the holy goste Whiche effecte of grace and forgyuenes of synne thys sacramente hath by vertue and force of the workyng of almighty god accordyng to his promyse annexed and conioyned vnto this sacrament as is manifestly declared by the worde of Christe sayeng who so euer beleueth and is baptised shall be saued Marc. xvi Whiche sayeng of our sauiour Christe is to be vnderstande of all suche persons which die in the grace conferred and gyuen to them in baptisme and do not fynally fall from the same by synne Moreouer bycause all men be borne synners throughe the transgression of our father Adam in whom as the apostle sayeth Rom. v. All haue synned and can not be saued without remission of their synne whiche is gyuen in baptisme by the workyng of the holy gost Therfore the sacrament of baptisme is necessary for the atteyning of saluation and euerlasting lyfe Iohn iiii accordinge to the wordes of Christe sayinge No man can entre into the kyngedome of god excepte he be borne agayne of water and the holy gooste For whiche causes also it is offered and pertayneth to all men not onely such as haue the vse of reason in whom the same duely receyued taketh awaye and purgeth all kynde of synnes both originall and actuall commytted and done before theyr baptisme but also it apperteyneth and is offered vnto infantes whiche bicause they be borne in original synne haue nede and ought to be christened Wherby they being offred in the faith of the churche receyue forgiuenes of their synne and suche grace of the holy goste that if they dye in the state of theyr infancye they shall therby vndoutedly be saued ¶ And here we must knowe that as touchynge originall synne in infantes lyke as they take of theyr parentes theyr originall and naturall qualities euen so they receiue from them original sinne by whiche they are made the children of they re of god and by the same haue a naturall inclination to synne by lustes and desires whiche in further age and tyme sensibly moue and styrre them to wickednes For although the parentes be neuer so cleane purged and pardoned of theyr origynall synne by baptisme and grace gyuen in the same◠yet neuertheles the chyldren of them begotten be conceyued and borne in original synne Example we may take of corne whiche thoughe it
to the priest whan he consecrateth that without the due obseruation of that waye man myghte not receyue that blessed sacrament to his saluation For the benefite or hurt that cometh to a christen man by receyuing of this sacrament standeth not in the fascion or maner of receiuing of it vnder one or both kindes but in the worthy or vnworthy receiuing of the same For he that receiueth this sacrament worthely vnder the one kinde as vnder the fourme of bread only receyueth the hole body and bloud of Christe as many and great benefites of Christ as he that receyueth it in both kindes And therfore if any man shuld teache that the lay people which by the ordinance ancient custome of the catholike church haue vsed to receyue this holy sacrament in fourme of bread only be seduced so cause them to thynke that the hole body and bloud of Christe were not comprehended in that onely forme of breade as wel as in both the kyndes this doctrine ought vtterly to be refused and abiected as a pestiferous a diuelyshe schole For surely scripture teacheth the contrary And also naturall reason although it can not comprehende the hole mystery of this sacrament yet herein it teacheth vs agreably with scripture that the lyuely body can not be without bloude and so men oughte to be ledde from that fonde opinion if any suche be bothe by that faythe and credyte they owe to scripture and in this poynte also by naturall reason Wherfore christen men ought not to grudge at this fourme and maner of receyuyng of this sacramente vnder one kynde vsed and allowed by the catholike churche both to auoyde that errour afore rehersed and also for many other weyghty considerations concernyng bothe the honour of the sacrament and the libertie and cōmoditie of the hole churche And not onely laye men but also priestes sauyng whan they consecrate vse to receyue this sacrament none otherwyse Let christen men therfore humbly apply them selfe to put all erronious fantasies if any suche aryse cleane out of theyr hartes and satisfye thēselues with this that whan they receyue this sacrament worthely thoughe it be but in one kynd they lose no parte of the profite and benefite promised by vertue of the sayde sacrament Wherfore consideryng as is afore rehersed the dignitie and excellency of this sacrament we ought with all humblenes of harte and deuotion to prepare our selues that we vsynge accordyngly the same maye be partakers of suche fruite and grace as vndoubtedly is offered and gyuen to all suche as in due maner receyue this sacramente For they that so doo be made one with Christe and dwelle in hym and he in them as he sayeth in the .vi. chapter of saynt Iohns gospell where he speaketh also of this sacrament This is the breade whiche descended from heauen that who so euer eateth therof shuld not dye I am the liuely bread which haue descended from heauen if any shall eate of this breade he shall lyue euerlastyngly And than he declaryng him selfe what he meaneth by the breade sayeth as incontinentely foloweth And the breade whiche I shall gyue is my fleshe whiche I shall gyue for the lyfe of the worlde Whiche wordes be moste comfortable for the perfyte confirmation and establishment of our faythe in this sacrament For as muche as they bothe certifie vs that his very fleshe bloudde and bodye is that meate whiche we receiue in the sacrament and that also it preserueth from deathe and conferreth lyfe to all Math. ix whiche duelye receyue it For seyng it is the very body of our sauiour Christ whiche is vnited and knytte to his godheade in one persone and by reason therof hath the very vertue and substance of lyfe in it it must nedes consequently by the most holy and blessed participation of the same giue and cōmunicate lyfe also to them that worthely receyue it And it endueth them with grace strength vertue against all temptation sinne and death doth much ease and relieue all the troubles dieases and infirmities of theyr soule For seynge the woman which was diseased with the fluxe of bloud as it is written in the gospell was healed by touchyng the hemme of the garment of Christe through the vertue whiche came from hym Howe muche more shall they fynde remedy of the sickenes malady of theyr soule whiche with due reuerece and faythe receyue and eate the blessed body of Christe and so be made lyuely temples of hym dwellynge in theym yea made as one fleshe and body with him For this heuenly meate is not tourned into our substaunce as other corporall meate is but by the godly operation therof we be tourned towardes the nature of it that is to saye of earthely corruptible and synfull we be made heauenly spirituall and strong agaynst synne and all wyckednes And further it is to be remembred that as in the receyuyng of this sacrament we haue moste entter communion with Christe so be we also ioyned by the same in most perfite vnitie with his churche and all the mēbres therof And for that cause amonges other this sacrament was instituted of our sauiour Christe in the fourme of breade to sygnyfye the vnitie concorde and charitie that is betweene Christe oure heade and hys mysticall body the churche and euery part and membre therof one with an other For as bread is made of many graynes or cornes whiche all make but one loofe soo shulde all true christen people being many in numbre yet be all one in faythe and charitie as sayncte Paule sayeth we be one breadde and one bodye i. Cor. xi all that be partakers of one breade that is of this blessed sacrament Fynally it is to be noted that although Christ at the fyrste institution of this sacrament dyd consecrate and giue it to his disciples at supper after they had eaten the paschal lambe partly to declare that the sacramentes and sacrifices of the old lawe shuld from thensforth ceasse and take an ende and partly that by this sacrament being the last thing that he nexte before his deathe lefte vnto his disciples the remēbrance of him shuld be the more depely and effectuously imprinted in the hartes of them and of all other that after shulde receyue the same Yet as saint Augustine saith it was thought good to the apostles and the vniuersall churche beynge moued with the holy goste for the more honour of so high a sacrament and for the more reuerence and deuout receyuynge therof that it shulde alwayes be receyued of christen people whā they be fastyng and before they receyue any bodily sustenāce except it be in case of syckenes or necessitie Wherfore considering the most excellent grace efficacy and vertu of this sacrament it were greatly to be wyshed and prayed for that al christen people had suche deuotion thervnto that they wolde gladly dispose and prepare themselues to the more often worthy receyuynge of the same But seynge that in these laste dayes
all other euyll behauyour of our tongue agaynste our neyghbours whiche all be forbidden by this commaundemente for they be rootes and occasions of murther and other bodely hurte The contrary of all these thynges be commanded by this commandement that is to saye that we shulde with our hartes loue our neyghbours and with our tonges speake well of them and to theym and in our actes and dedes do good vnto them shewyng towardes them in harte worde and dede pacience mekenes mercy and gentylnes yea thoughe they be our aduersaryes and ennemies And that this is the true sence and meanyng of this commandement it appereth by the expositiō of our sauiour Christe in the gospell Math. ◠where he declareth that we shulde neyther hurte any man in dede nor speake of hym or vnto hym maliciousely or contemptuousely with our tounges nor beare malice or angre in our hartes But that we shulde loue them that hate vs say well by them that saye euyll by vs and do good vnto them that do euyll vnto vs. And accordynge to the same sayeng of Christ saynt Iohn sayth also That he that hateth his brother ◠Ioan. iii. is a manqueller It is not forbydden by this commaundement but that al rulers and gouernours as princes iudges fathers maisters and suche other maye for the correction of theym whyche be vnder theyr gouernance vse suche maner of punysshemente eyther by rebukefull or sharpe wordes or by bodyly chastysing as the lawes of euery realme do permitte And not onely they may do thus but also they be bound so to do onles they se reasonable cause to the contrary and offende god if they do it not as is before declared in the .v. commaundement All rulers also muste beware and take hede that in theyr corrections and punishmentes they do not procede vpon any priuate malyce of their hartes or displeasure towardes any man or for any lucre fauour or feare of any persō but that they haue theyr eye and consideration only vpon the reformation amendment of the person whom they do correct or elles vpon the good ordre and quietnes of the common weale so that styll there may remayne in theyr hartes charitie and loue towardes the person they punyshe And lyke as the father loueth his chylde euen whan he beateth him Eeuen so a good iudge whan he gyueth sentence of death vppon any gylty person although he shewe outwardly sharpenes rigour yet inwardely he ought to loue the person and to be sorye and heauy for his offences and for the death whiche he hym selfe by the lawe doth and must nedes condemne him vnto And although inferiour rulers and gouernours maye correcte and punysshe suche as he vnder their gouernaunce yet they maye not punysshe by deathe nor mutilate maime or imprison them or vse any corporall violence towardes theym otherwyse then is permitted by the hyghe gouernour that is to say by the prince and his lawes from whom al suche authoritie doth come For no man may kylle or vse suche bodily coertion but onely princes and they whiche haue authoritie frome princes ne the sayde princes nor any for them may do the same but by and accordyng to the iuste ordre of theyr lawes and ordinances Moreouer no subiectes may drawe theyr swordes agaynst theyr prynce for any cause what so euer it be nor agaynst any other sauynge for laufull defence without theyr princes lycence And it is theyr duety to draw theyr swordes for the defence of theyr prynce and realme whan soo euer the prynce shall commande theym so to do And althoughe princes whiche be the chiefe and supreme heades of theyr realmes do otherwise than they ought to do Yet god hathe assigned no iudges ouer them in this worlde but wyl haue the iugement of them reserued to himselfe and wil punyshe them whan he seeth his time And for amendement of such princes that do otherwise than they shulde do the subiectes maye not rebell but must praye to god whyche hath the hartes of princes in his handes that he so turne theyr hartes vnto him that they maye vse the sworde which he hath gyuen them vnto his pleasure Agaynste this commandement offende al they whyche do kyll mayme or hurte any man without iuste ordre of the lawe and gyueth counsayle ayde fauour prouocation or consent therto And also all they whyche maye yf they wyll by theyr authoritie or laufull meanes delyuer a man from wrongfull death mutulation hurte or iniury and wyll not do it but wyll wyncke therat and dissemble it be transgressours of this commādement And al iudges which seyng no sufficient matter or cause of death or vpon lyght triall without sufficient examination and discussion gyue sentence of death or whan the matter or cause of death is sufficient and the triall good yet delyte in the deathe of the person be transgressours of this cōmandement And lykewyse be all those whiche in causes of lyfe deathe beyng impanelled vpon inquestes do lyghtly cōdemne or endite any person without sufficient euidence examination and discussion of the informations gyuen vnto them And moreouer all those whiche either in such causes do gyue false euidence or information eyther wittyngly contrary to their owne conscience or doubtynge of the truth of those informations or without sufficient examination do promote enforce or mainteine such euidences informatiōs or inditementes do also breake this commandement So do all they whiche wyllyngly do kyll themselfe for any maner of cause for so to doo there can be no pretence of lawfulle cause ne of iust order And therfore he that so dothe kylleth at ones both body and sowle Fynally all they whiche beare hatred and malyce agaynste their neyghbours and eyther malyciousely speake wordes of contempte dyspite checkynge cursynge and suche other or elles publysshe theyr neyghbours offences to theyr sclander rather than to theyr amendemente And generally all they that liue in yre malice enuy and murmuringe at other mens welth or reioysing at other mens trouble or hurt or suche other like they offende all againste this precepte The exposition of the seuenthe commandement of god Thou shalt not cōmitte adultery ALthough this word Adultery doth signifie properly the vnlaufull commixtion of a maryed man with anye other woman than with his owne wyfe or elles of a maried woman with any other man than her owne husbande yet in this commandement it is taken not onely for that but also for all maner vnlaufull copulation betwene man and woman maried and vnmaried and all maner of vnlaufull vse of those partes whiche be ordeyned for generation whether it be by adultery fornication incest or any other meane And in laufull matrimonye a man may breake this commandement and lyue vnchaste with his owne wyfe yf he do vnmeasurably or inordinatly serue his or her fleshely appetite or lust And of such the deuyll hath power as the angel Raphael sayde vnto Thoby Tob. vi They that marrye in suche wyse that they
holy conuersation in good workes good lyfe honour and glorifie him And that we may frō time to time so mortifie our owne natural corrupte and sinfull appetite and wyll that we may be euer redy like louyng children humblye lowly and obediently to approue allow and accomplysshe the wil of god our father in al thinges and to submitte our selues with all our harte vnto the same and to acknowlege that what so euer is the wil of god the same is most perfite most iust most holy and moste expedient for the wealth and helthe of our soules Wherfore in this petition also we desire of god true and stable pacience whan our wyll is letted or broken And that whan any man speaketh or dothe contrary to our wyll yet therfore we be not out of pacience neyther curse or murmure or seke vengeance agaynst our aduersaries or them whiche lette our wyll but that we may say well of them and do wel to them We pray also that by goddis grace we may gladly suffer al diseases pouertie dispisinges persecutions aduersities knowing that it is the wil of god that we shulde crucifie and mortifie our willes And whan any suche aduersitie chaunceth vnto vs attribute all vnto the wyl or sufferance of god giue him thankes therfore who dothe ordre all suche thynges for our weale and benefite eyther for the exercise and the triall of the good to make them stronger in goodnes and vertue or elles for the chastisement and amendement of the euyll to suppresse theyr euyll motions and desyres And also we pray that whā so euer it shal please god to call vs out of this transitory lyfe we may be wyllinge to die and that conformynge our wyll to the wyll of god we may take our deathe gladly so that by feare or infirmitie we be not made disobedient vnto hym We desire furthermore that all our membres eyes tongue harte handes and fete be not suffred to folowe the desyres of the fleshe but that all may be vsed to the wyll pleasure of god and that maliciousely we reioyse not in their troubles whiche haue resisted our wyll or haue hurte vs nor that we be enuiousely sory whan that they prosper and haue welfare but that we maye be contented and pleased with al thinge that is goddis wyll The fourth petition Gyue vs this day our dayly breade FOr the better declaration of this fourth petition ye shall vnderstand first that our lord teacheth vs not in this petition to aske any superfluous thing of plesure or delite but onely thinges necessary and sufficient and therfore he biddeth vs onely aske bread wherin is not ment superfluous riches or great substance or abundāce of thynges aboue our estate or condition but such thynges only as be necessary and sufficient for euery man in his degre and accordyng thervnto i. Tim. vi saint Paule saythe we haue broughte nothynge in to this worlde ne shall take any thinge with vs whan we depart hense And therfore if we christen mē haue meat and drinke and cloth that is to say thynges sufficient let vs hold our selues content for they that set their mindes on riches and wyl haue superfluities more than nedeth or is expedient to their vocation they fal into dangerous temptations into snares of the deuyll and into many vnprofitable and noisome desires whiche drowne men in to perdition euerlasting damnation for the spring and roote of all euils is such superfluous desyre The wyse man also making his petition to our lord saith Pro. xxx Giue me neither pouertie nor excesse but only thynges sufficient for my liuing left that hauing to moch I be prouoked to denie god to forget who is the lord on the other side lest that by pouertie constrained I fall in to thefte forsweare the name of my god These two wise men the one of the old the other of the newe testament agree with the lessō of our sauiour for both declare that they desire onely thinges necessarye sygnified here by breade and both refuse and renounce superfluities vnprofitable daungerouse and noysome Secondely in these wordes of our sauiour Iesu Christ be reproued all those persons which eate not their owne bread deuoure other mens bread of which sort be all those whiche liue of rauen and spoiles of theft of extortion of craft and deceite they also whiche neither labour with their handes nor otherwise apply their study industry diligēce to some thing which is good and beneficiall to the cōmon weale and to the honour of god but liue in ease rest idelnes wanton plesure without doinge or caring for any suche thyng And al they likewise be reproued which being called in this world vnto any rome office or authoritie do abuse the same do not emply them selfe according to theyr vocatiō Thirdly as the husbande man tilleth and soweth his grounde wedeth it and kepeth it from destroieng praying therwith to god for the encrease putteth al his truste in him to send him more or lesse at his pleasure euen so besides our owne diligence policy labour and trauaile we must also pray dayly to god to sende vs sufficient and we muste take thankefully at his handes al that is sent and be no further carefull than nedeth but putting to our endeuour set our hole cōfidence truste in him for our sauiour Christ saith in the gospel I say to you be not careful for your liuyng Math. vi what ye shall eate ne what clothes ye shall weare Is not life better than your meate your body better thā your clothinge Loke vpō the birdes of the aire they sowe not they reape not they bring nothinge in to the barne yet your heauenly father feedeth them be not you of more price then they Loke vpon the lillies of the fielde they labour not they spin not yet I tell you Salomon in al his precious roiall apparel was not so clothed as one of them therfore care you not for these thinges Leaue this care to them that knowe not god your heauenly father knoweth that you haue nede of all these thinges but seke you first the kingdome of god his rightuousenes the waies iustly truly to liue and thē god shal cast al these thinges vnto you These be the wordes of Christ ful of good comfortable lessons that we shulde not care ne set our hartes to moche vpon these worldly thinge ne care so moche for to morowe that we shall seme to mistrust our lord And here is a thing greatly to be noted in cōfort of the true laboring man for surely be he craftes mā or be he labourer doing truly his office whervnto he is called he maye in that state and kind of lyfe please god and atteine saluation as surely as in any other state or kynde of lyuinge And although our lord hath so prouided for some that they haue alredy sufficient and plenty for many
heuēly father do with you if you wil not forgiue euery one of you his brother euen from the hart Thus it apereth plainly that if we wil be for giuen if we wil scape euerlasting damnation we must put out of our hart al rācour malice wil to reuenge and satisfie our owne carnall affections referryng the punishement of the offenders whiche in their offences haue transgressed the lawes of god or of the prince to the order of iustice wherof vnder god the princes and rulers be mynysters in earth In whiche doing we please god so that we vtterly forgiue our owne priuate grudge and dyspleasure And if any paraduenture wyl thinke it to be an hard thyng to suffre and forgiue his enemy whiche in worde and deede hath done him many displesures let him consider againe howe many harde stormes our sauiour Christe suffered and abode for vs what were we whan he gaue his most precious lyfe for vs but horrible synners and his ennmies howe mekely toke he for our sake all rebukes mockes byndyng beating crownyng with thorne and the moste opprobrious deathe It is vndoubtedly aboue our frayle and corrupte nature to loue our ennemies that do hate vs and to forgyue them that do hurt and offende vs and it is a dede of greatter perfection than man hath of him selfe but god that requireth it wyll gyue grace that we may do it if we aske and seke for it And therfore in this petition our sauiour Christe teacheth vs to aske this grace of our heauenly father that we may forgiue our ennemies and that he wyl forgiue vs our trespasses euē so as we forgiue them that trespas against vs. It is further to be noted that to forgiue our brother his defaute is also to pray to god that he wyll forgyue him and wyl not impute his offence to him and to wyshe to hym the same grace and glory that we desyre vnto our selues and also our selfe whan occasion shall come to helpe hym as we be bounde to helpe our christen brother And finally for as moche as in the expounding and declaration of scripture it is conuenient and requisite to obserue and folowe this rule that whā so euer scripture speaketh of any duetye to be done of one christen man to an other that than the same duetie be so plainly and fully opened and set forthe that eche man may heare his owne duetie to wched so that both parties that is to saye as well he that is bounde to forgiue as he whyche receyueth forgyuenes may indifferently knowe their duetie and be hauyour and accordinge thervnto endeuour theym selfe to do the same For these causes it is expedient that lyke as in the former parte of this petition we haue declared the part and duetie of him whiche shulde for charities sake forgyue so to declare the part and duetie of them to whom forgiuenes shulde be made leste euyll doers and naughty mynded people myghte by the former declaration take occasion stylle to perseuere in their naughtye myndes and doinges and yet claime forgiuenes of their neyghbour Wherfore ye shall vnderstande that forgyuenes afore spoken of is not so ment in scripture that by it iustyce or lawes of princes shoulde be broken condemned or not executed For although our sauiour Christe in this petition dothe teache vs to remitte and forgiue all iniuries and trespasses done agaynst vs yet he whiche hath done the iniurie or trespas is neuertheles bounde to aknowlege his faut and to aske forgiuenes therfore not onely of god but of him also whom he hath offended and to intend to do no more so And furthermore to recompence and make amendes vnto the parties againste whome he hath trespassed according to his abilitie and power and as the greuousenesse and greatnes of the offence requireth And in case he whych hath commytted the offence or trespasse be obstinate and wyll not do these thinges before rehersed whyche he is bounde to doo by the lawe of god than may the partie whiche findeth him selfe greued notwithstanding any thing that is saide before in this petitiō laufully and without offence of goddis commandementes aske and seeke recompence of suche iniuries as be done to him according vnto the order prouision of the lawes of the realme made in that behalfe so that he alway haue an eye and respect vnto charitie and do nothing for rancour or malyce or for sinister affection neither beare any hatred in his hart towardes him whom he sueth but only vpon a zeale loue of the mayntenance of iustice correction of vice and reformation of the partie that hath offended remembringe always that he excede not nor go beyonde the limites and boundes of this generall rule taughte by our sauiour Christe in his gospel 〈…〉 As ye wold that other men shoulde do vnto you euen so doo you vnto them For this is the lawe and the prophetes And thus we christen folke wayinge forgyuenes on the one partie and the duetie of hym that is forgyuen on the other party as here nowe we be taught shall the better knowe how to endeuour our selues to obserue bothe ways And by these meanes se and vnderstand more perfectly the agrement and intent of scriptures whiche we be bounde to obserue and folowe The syxte petition ¶ And lette vs not be led into temptation IT is to be noted fyrst that there be two maner of temptations whereof one commeth and is sent to vs by god who suffreth those that be his to be tēpted by one meanes or other for theyr probation or triall al be it he so assisteth and aydeth them in all suche temptations that he tourneth all at the ende vnto theyr profit and benefite For as the wise man saythe Like as the ouen trieth the potters vessell Ec. xxviii so dothe temptation of trouble trie the rightuous man And with this maner of temptation god tempted sundry wyse our holy father Abraham he tempted also Iob with extreme pouertie horrible syckenes and sodayne deathe of his children and dayly he tempteth and proueth all suche as he loueth The other maner of temptation cometh chiefely of the deuyll i. Pet. v. whiche lyke a furyouse and a wood lion ragith rūneth about perpetually seking how he may deuour vs. And commeth also of our owne concupiscence which continually inclineth and stireth vs to euyll Iacob i. as saynt Iames sayth Euery man is tempted drawen and entised by his owne concupiscence This concupiscence is an inclination and prouate of our inordinate nature to synne whiche imperfection man hath by the fall of Adam so that although originall sinne is taken away by baptisme and the dyspleasure appeased betwyxte God and man yet remayneth the dysorder debate betweene the soule and the fleshe whiche shall not be extincte but onely by bodily deathe For there is no man so mortified so sequestred from the worlde and so rauished in spirite in deuotion or in contemplation but that some concupiscence is in him how
that she is the most blessed of all other women And to th entent that all good christen men shulde repute and take her so Beholde the prouidence of god that wolde by annother wytnesse confirme the same for euen the very same wordes that the aungell spake the blessed matrone saint Elyzabeth spake also and where the angell made an ende there she beganne The angell made an end of his salutation with these wordes Blessed art thou amonge women The blessed matrone began her salutation with the same wordes declarynge that she was inspired with the same spirite that sent the aungell and that they were both ministers to the holy Trinitie the one from heauen the other in earth And afterward she added these wordes saying And blessed is the fruite of thy wombe These be not the wordes of the angel but of saint Elizabeth For whan the vyrgin Mary came to salute her the sayd Elizabeth beyng inspired with the holy goste and knowyng that the virgine Mary was conceyued spake these wordes of the fruite that the virgine shulde bring forth And there is also an other wonderfull thyng to be noted For as it appereth in the gospell the child in saynt Elizabethes wombe that is to say saynt Iohn Baptist whiche yet had scant lyfe gaue testimony to this Fruite that this fruite shulde saue hym and all the worlde and as a prophete he lepte for ioy in his mothers wombe although he could not than speake yet neuertheles he declared by such signes and tokens as he could that blessed was the fruite of that wombe And worthily called the fruit of her wombe in that the substance of the nature of man whiche our sauiour Christe toke vppon him was taken of the substance and nature of the moste blessed virgin and in her wombe And so is called the fruite of her wombe And well he may be called the blessed fruite whiche hath saued vs and gyuen vs lyfe contrary to the cursyd fruite whych Eue gaue to Adam by whyche we were destroyed and brought to deathe But blessed is the fruite of this wombe whyche is the fruite of life euerlasting And it is to be noted that although this salutation be not a prayer of petition supplication or request or suit Yet neuertheles the church hath vsed to adioyn it to the end of the Pater noster as an himne or a praier of laude and praise partly of our lorde sauiour Iesu Christe for our redemtion and partly of the blessed virgin for her humble coÌ„sent gyuen expressed to the angell at this salutation Laudes praise and thankes ar in this Aue Maria principally gyuen yelded to our lorde as to the autour of our redemption But herewithal the virgin lackith not her laudes praise and thankes for her excellent and singular vertues and chiefly for that she beleued humbly consented according to the saying of the holy matrone saint Elizabeth whan she said vnto this virgine Blessed arte thou that dyddest gyue trust and credence to the angels wordes for al thinges that haue ben spoken vnto the shall be perfourmed The article of free wyll THe coÌ„mandementes threatninges of almighty god in scripture wherby man is called vpon and put in remembraunce what god wolde haue hym to do moste euydently do expresse and declare that man hath freewyll also nowe after the falle of our fyrste father Adam as plainely appereth in these places folowyng Rom. xii i. Tim. iiii i. Ioan. ii Mat. xix Be not ouercome of euyll Neglecte not the grace that is in the. Loue not the worlde c. If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commandementes Which vndoubtedly shulde be saide in vayne onelesse there were some facultie or power lefte in man wherby he may by the helpe and grace of god if he wil receiue it when it is offered vnto him vnderstand his coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes and frely consent and obey vnto them whiche thyng of the catholyke fathers is called Freewyll Free wyll which if we wil describe we may cal it coÌ„ueniently in all men A certayne power of the wyll ioyned with reson wherby a resonable creature without constraint in thinges of reason discerneth and willeth good and euil but it willeth not that good whiche is acceptable to god except it be holpen with grace but that whiche is yll it willeth of it selfe and therfore other men defyned frewyll in this wise Frewyl is a power of reson will by which good is chosen by the assistance of grace or euil is choseÌ„ without the assistaÌ„ce of the same Howbeit the state and condition of freewylle was otherwyse in our fyrste parentes before they synned than it was either in them or in theyr posteritie after they hadde synned For our fyrste parentes Adam and Eue vntyll they wounded and ouerthrewe them selfe by synne had so in possession the said power of freewyll by the moste lyberall gyfte and grace of god their maker that not onely they myght eschue all maner of synne but also knowe god and loue hym and fulfylle all thynges apperteynyng to theyr felicitie and welthe For they were made ryghtuous and to the ymage and symilitude of god hauing power of frewyll as Chrisostom sayth to obey or disobey So that by obedience they myght liue and by disobedience they shuld worthyly deserue to dye For the wyse man affirmeth that the state of them was of that sort in the beginning saying thus Eâ—…l xvi God in the beginning did create man and left hym in the handes of his owne counsell he gaue vnto him his preceptes and coÌ„mandementes saying If thou wylt kepe the coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes they shall preserue the he hath set afore the fyre and water put furth thy handes to whether thou wylt before man is lyfe and deth good euyl what him liketh that shall he haue From this moste happy state our fyrst parentes falling by disobedieÌ„ce most greuously hurted them selues and theyr posteritie For besides many other euils that came by the transgression the high power of mans reason fredome of wyll were wounded and corrupted and all men therby brought in to such blyndnes and infirmitie that they can not eschue sinne except they be illumined and made free by an especiall grace that is to say by a supernatural helpe and working of the holy goste whiche although the goodnes of god offereth to all men yet they onely enioye it whyche by their free wyll do accepte and imbrace the same Nor they also that be holpen by the sayde grace can accomplyshe and performe thynges that be for their welth but with moch labour endeuour so great is in our nature the corruption of the fyrst synne the heuy hurdein bering vs down to euyl For truly albeit the light of reason doth abide yet it is moche darkened with moch difficultie both discerne thinges that be inferior ê‘teyne to their present life but to vnderstaÌ„d perceyue thinges that be spiritual ê‘teyn to the euerlastiÌ„g life it
is of it self vnable And so likewise although there remayn a certain fredom of will in those thinges which do ê‘teyn vnto the desires workes of this present life yet to ê‘forme spirituall heuenly thinges Frewyl of it self is insufficieÌ„t and therfore the power of mans frewyl being thus wounded decayed hath nede of a phisition to heale it and an helpe to repaire it that it may receyue lyght and streÌ„gth wherby it may se and haue power to do those godly spiritual thynges which before the fall of AdaÌ„ it was able might haue done Ps Cxviii To this blyndnes and infirmitie of mans nature procedyng of original synne the prophet Dauid had regard whan he desired his eies to be lightned of almighty god that he might consider the meruaylous thinges that be in his lawe And also the prophet Hieremy saying Hele me O lord and I shal be made hole Hier. xviii Saint Augustine also playnely declareth the same saying We conclude that frewyll is in man after his fall whiche thyng who so denieth is not a catholike man but in spirituall desyres workes to please god it is so weake and feble that it can not either beginne or performe them onelesse by the grace and helpe of god it be preuented and holpen And hereby it appereth that mans strength and wyll in all thynges whiche be helthfull to the soule and shal please god â–ª hath nede of grace of the holy goste by whiche such spirituall thinges be inspired to men and strength and constance giuen to perfourme them if men do not wylfully refuse the sayde grace offered vnto them ¶ And lykewyse as many thynges be in the scripture whiche doo shewe freewylle to be in man so there be no fewer places in scripture whiche do declare the grace of god to be so necessary that if by it freewyl be not preuented and holpen it can neither do nor wyll any thyng â—…n xv good and godly Of which sorte be these scriptures folowynge without me ye can do nothing No man commeth to me Iohn vi ii Cor. iii. except it be gyuen hym of my father we be not sufficient of our selfe as of our selfe to thinke any good thing Accordyng vnto whiche scriptures and suche other like it foloweth that free wyll before it maye wyll or think any godly thing must be holpen by the grace of Christ and by his spirite be preuented and inspyred that it may be able therto And being so made able may from thensforthe worke togither with grace and by the same susteyned holpen and mainteyned may do and accomplyshe good workes auoyd synne perseuere also and encrease in grace It is surely of the grace of god onely that fyrst we be inspired and moued to any good thynge but to resyst temptations and to persyste in goodnes and go forwarde it is bothe of the grace of god and of our free wyll and endeuour And fynally after we haue perseuered to the end to be crowned with glory therfore is the gift and mercy of god who of his bountifull goodnes hath ordeyned that rewarde to be gyuen after this lyfe accordinge to suche good workes as be done in this lyfe by his grace Therfore men ought with moch diligence and gratitude of mynde to consyder and regarde the inspirations and holsome motions of the holy goste and to imbrace the grace of god whiche is offered vnto them in Christe and moueth theym to good thinges And furthermore to go about by all meanes to shew them self such as vnto whom the grace of god is not gyuen in vayne And whan they doo feele that not withstandinge their diligence yet throughe their owne infirmitie they be not able to doo that they desyre than they oughte earnestly and with a feruent deuotion and stedfast faythe to aske of hym whiche gaue the begynnynge that he wolde vouchesafe to performe it whiche thynge god woll vndoubtedly graunt accordynge to his promyse to suche as perseuere in callynge vppon hym For he is naturally good and willeth al men to be saued and careth for them and prouydeth al thyng by whiche they may be saued except by their owne malice they woll be euil and so by rightuous iudgement of god perishe and be loste For truely men be to theym selues the autours of synne and damnation God is neither autour of sinne nor the cause of damnation And yet dothe he moste ryghtuousely damne those men that do with vices corrupte their nature whyche he made good and doo abuse the same to euyll desyres agaynste his moste holy wyl Wherfore men be to be warned that they do not impute to god their vice or theyr damnatioÌ„ but to them selues whiche by freewyl haue abused the grace and benefites of god All men be also to be monisshed and chiefely preachers that in this hygh matter they lokynge on bothe sydes soo attempre and moderate theym selues that neyther they soo preache the grace of god that they take away therby freewylle Nor on the other syde so extoll free wyll that iniury be done to the grace of god The article of Iustification FOr the more clere vnderstandynge of this article folowynge it is to be noted that all men after the fall of Adam naturally descendyng and comming of him be borne in originall synne that is to saye they lacke that original iustice and innocency wherwith Adam in his creation was endued and whiche also all his posteritie shulde haue had if he throughe his disobedience and breakyng of the commandement of god had not lost the same from hym selfe all his posteritie And further also they be borne with concupiscence wherof springe vnlaufull desires repugnant and contrarye vnto the lawes of god and be giltie to euerlasting deathe and damnation from the whiche they can in no wyse be delyuered by any strength or power that is in them but rather fall daily into further displeasure of god by committyng and addyng of many actuall synnes Wherfore to the entent that man might be deliuered out of this wretched miserable state whervnto he had brought him selfe and might recouer againe the same thinges that were giuen vnto him in his fyrste creation and therby atteyne the euerlasting blisse in heauen it pleased almighty god of his great and infinite mercy and goodnes to sende his owne onely begotten sonne the seconde person in trinitie to take vpon him the nature of man and therin to worke the mistery of our redemtion that is to say to deliuer vs from the captiuitie of the deuill synne and damnation to be the very meane of our reconciliation to god of our iustification And surely this reconciliation of mortal man to the fauor of god immortal did necessarily require such a mediatour betwene them as had in hym selfe the perfect nature of them bothe which is the very propertie of a meane betwene two to be partener with bothe them betwene whom he taketh vpon hym to be a meane For if he be
holely ioyned with the one and clerely separated from the other Than he is not mete to be a mean or mediatour betwene two whiche be at debate and enmitie Wherfore our sauiour Christ being naturally god toke vpon hym the nature of man that he might therby be conuersaunt among men and by his death redeme them yet he stil reteined and kepte his godhead and was both god and man together For if he had ben man onely and not god than his death coulde not haue ben a worthy and sufficient satisfaction for sinne to the iustice of god And if he had ben onely god and not man than he by his bodily conuersation could not haue called vs againe to god nor suffered and died bodily for vs. And this propertie of a mediatour saint Paule consideryng writeth to Timothe That there is but one mediatour betwene god man which is Christ Iesus ◠Tim ii meaning therby that bycause he onely had bothe the natures in hym therfore he onely and none other but he was able to be a sufficient mediatour and meane of our reconciliation to god and of our iustification And for a further declaration how and by what meanes we be made partakers of this benefite of iustification It is to be noted that this word Iustification as it is taken in scripture signifieth the makynge of vs rightuous afore god where before we were vnryghtuous as whan by his grace we conuert vnto him be reconciled into his fauour and of the children of ire and damnatiō we be made the children of god and inheritours of euerlasting life that by his grace we may walke so in his wais that finally we may be reputed taken as iust rightuous in the day of iudgement so receyue the euerlasting possession of the kingedome of heauen And albeit god is the principal cause chiefe worker of this iustificatiō in vs without whose grace no mā can do no good thyng but folowing his free wil in the state of a sinner encreaseth his owne iniustice multiplieth his sinne Yet so it pleaseth the hyghe wysdome of god that man preuented by his grace which being offered man maye if he wyll refuse or receiue shall be also a worker by his free consent obedience to the same in the atteinyng of his owne iustification and by goddis grace and helpe shall walke in such workes as be requisite to his iustification so continuing come to the perfect end therof by such meanes waies as god hath ordeyned Wherin it is to be considered that although our sauiour CHRIST hath offered hym selfe vpon the crosse a sufficient redemption satisfaction for the synnes of al the world and hath made hym selfe an open way and entre vnto god the father for al man onely by his worthy merite and deseruynge and willyng all men to be saued calleth vpon al the worlde without respecte of persons to come and be partakers of the ryghtuousnesse peace and glory whiche is in hym yet for al this benignitie grace shewed vniuersally to the hole world none shal haue the effect of this benefit of our sauiour Christ enioy euerlastyng saluatiō by him but they that take suche wayes to atteyne the same as he hath taught and appointed by his holy word in suche ordre maner and fourme as here foloweth that is to say Fyrst as touchynge all them whiche be of age and haue the vse of natural reason afore they be christened the will of god is that all suche if they will be saued shall at the heryng of his blessed worde giue stedfast faith and assente thervnto as saint Paule saith 〈◊〉 xi He that commeth to god must beleue and by that faith groūded on the truth of the word of god beinge taughte bothe of the threatnynges of god agaynst sinners and also of the great goodnes and mercy of god offered to mankinde in our sauiour redemer Christ Iesu they muste conceyue an harty sorowe and repentance for theyr sinnes with a sure trust to haue forgyuenes of them by the merytes passion of our sauiour Christe And ioyninge thervnto a full purpose to amende theyr lyfe and to cōmitte sinne no more but to serue god al their life after they muste than receyue the sacrament of baptisme And this is the very playne ordinary way by the whiche god hath determined that man beynge of age and commynge to christendome shuld be iustified For as for infantes it is to be beleued that their iustification is wrought by the secrete operation of the holy gost in theyr baptisme they beynge offered in the fayth of the churche And this Iustification wherof we haue hitherto spoken may be called the first Iustification that is to say our first cōming into goddis house which is the churche of Christ at whiche comming we be receiued and admitted to be of the flocke and familie of our sauiour Christ and be professed sworne to be the seruantes of god and to be souldiours vnder Christe to fyghte against our ennemies the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe Of whiche enemies if it chaunce vs after our baptisme to be ouerthrowen and caste into mortall synne than is there no remedy but for the recouering of our former estate of Iustification whiche we haue loste to aryse by penance wherin proceding in sorowe and moch lamentation for our sinnes with fasting almesse praier and doing all suche thinges at the leaste in true purpose and will as god requireth of vs we muste haue a sure trust and cōfidence in the mercy of god that for his sonne our sauiour Christis sake he will yet forgiue vs our sinnes and receyue vs vnto his fauour again and so being thus restored to our iustification we must goo forward in our battayle aforesayde in mortifienge our concupiscence and in our dayly spiritual renouation in folowing the motions of the spirite of Christe in doing good workes and absteining from sinne and all occasions therof being armed with faith hope and charitie to the intent we maye atteyne our finall iustification and so be glorified in the day of iugement with the rewarde of euerlasting lyfe Wherfore it is necessary for the keping and holding of this Iustification ones conferred and giue in baptisme or recouered again by penāce through the mercy of our sauiour Christ and also for the encreasynge of the same iustification and fynall consummation therof to take good hede and to watche that we be not deceyued by the false suggestion and temptation of our gostly enemie the deuyll who as saint Peter saith i. Petri. v. goeth about like a roring lion seking whom be may deuour And it is no doubt but although we be ones iustified yet we maye fall there fro by our owne free wyll and consenting vnto sinne folowing the desyres therof For albeit the house of our consciēce be ones made cleane the foule spirite be expelled from vs in baptisme or penance yet if we waxe idle and