it with the tradicions of men And albeit mennes spirites are not hable to accorde with some bokes textes of the scriptures the mater is not much to be passed vpoÌ„ For we know that mennes iudgementes ought to be applied and obeye vnto the scriptures and not the scriptures vnto meÌ„nes iudgementes And touching the interpretacion of the holy canonical scripture this haue I thought and after the examples of other christen ministers I haue taught and yet stil I thinke and confesse vnto the worlde that it ought 1. Pe. 1. not nor must be interpreted or expouÌ„ded after any mannes opinion or thought much lesse after euery mannes pleasure and phantasie but by it self and of it selfe aswell according to the propreties of the tongues wherin it was furst written and by diligent wayeng and consideracion of the sayenges that goo before and those that be ioyned together and folowe with all the circumstaunces as also according to the meanyng of other places that seme either more playne or like ther vnto or elles contrary by the lyne and rule of faithe and charitie And wher the fathers the doctours of the holy churche haue interpreted Doctours and expounded the scriptures after this maner and haue in no wise blenched nor swarued froÌ„ this lawe and rule now before mencioned them we doo with harte and good will acknowlage and take for faithfull and diligeÌ„t interpretours of the scripture and honourable instrumentes of the holy goost whose paynefull labours and industries our Lorde God hathe vsed in the churche to the glorie of his owne name and to the profite of his faithfull flocke And therfore we not only reuerence theÌ„ but also thiÌ„ke not well of suche men as haue them in contempt But as for all other doctrines and tradicions of men how glorious how gaye how highe autoritie title or auÌ„cientie so euer they be commended or bragged to be of if they be not founded grouÌ„ded vpon some testimonies of the scriptutes and also if they pull vs from God from the scripture and from the true faithe or be hinderous vnto vs in the same I thinke them altogether vayne vnprofitable and of non effecte yea rather pernicious and noysom as Christ him self openly reporteth of them Matth. 15. Moreouer the only intent scope ende of the canonical scripture is this that al men of all naciones couÌ„treyes and places might be by it instructed taught coÌ„cernyng the grace of God concerning the redempcion bounteous liberalitie and saluacion that is pleyntifully bestowed geuen in Iesus Christ vnto this most wretched most corrupte synfull worlde also coÌ„cerning charitie and faithe namely that the people being now regenerate might be partakers of this saluacioÌ„ by true faithe the holy childreÌ„ of God the father and heires of al his heaueÌ„ly substaunce And touching the faithe of Christ I and suche other poore slaundred Ministres haue nother taught nor doo beleue any other thing than that is deliuered vnto be from the holy apostles and that we haue receaued of our christian elders and faithfull forefathers And that same I for my parte sithence it pleased God to translate me from the Antichristian darkenesse of popery in to the kingdome of his sonne haue constauntly and faith fully kept hitherto pure in euery condicion And the same I purpose by the helpe of Christes gracious fauour to kepe still and confesse with the true catholike churche of Christ while the breathe is in my body that is eueÌ„ thus I Beleue in God the father almigh tye maker of heauen and earthe And in Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lorde Whiche was conceaued by the holy goost borne of the virgin Mary Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried Be descended in to hell The thrid daye he rose again from the dead Be ascended in to heaueÌ„ sitteth on the right haÌ„de of God the father almightie From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleue in the holy goost The holy catholike churche the coÌ„munion of Sainctes The forgeuenesse of synnes The resurrection of the body And the life euerlasting Amen Now forasmuche as God hathe geueÌ„ me grace thaÌ„kes be to his mercifull goodnesse therfore to pitch my staffe in the fouÌ„dacion of this most holy most asicient true catholike faith And to thinkeÌ„t you shal plaiÌ„ly knowe how I vnderstaÌ„de the said articles of my Crede I do truly saye playnly confesse touching the furst article that ther The furst Article is but one only blessed eternal and almightie Lorde and God in the holy sacrâ—o inseperable and vnconfused Trinitie God the Father the Sonne and the holy Goost And what so euer is in the nature of thinges aswel visible as inuisible it is well and rightly created and made of God to the be hoote and profite of man and by him it is also preserued bestowed and administred And therfore God is the father of mankind not for his creating of maÌ„kynde only but also for his daily conseruacion eternal goodnesse mercie prouidence comforting and helping of mankynde Concerning the seconde Article I beleue confesse that God the father The. 2. Article became a father not only after he had made maÌ„kiÌ„de but that the same God was also a very father from euerlastiÌ„g so that he hathe also one onely eternal sone eternally begotteÌ„ of God the father after a diuine vnspeakeable maner This sonne of God I beleue and coÌ„fesse is of the fathers owne substaunce and of all one being of like equalitie and consubstaunciall with the father of all one substaunce I saye nature power and vertue and very natural Lorde and God aboue all in al and through al thinges Notwithstanding we confesse the sonne to be our Lorde most chiefly for that he hathe deliuered and made vs free from the lordeship power and tyrannye of the deuil and hauing payde our raunsom with his owne precious blood which he sheadde for vs he hathe made vs his owne peculiar people wherof I shall speake afterwarde at more large Touching the thirde Article I beleue and confesse that the same sonne The. 3. Article of God which eternally hathe ben and is with the father hathe also in this worlde taken vpon him the very nature of man of the fleshe and blood of the blessed virgin Mary which was Abrahams daughter and borne of the stocke of Dauid according to the promise of God declared by his ministers and seruauntes the Patriarkes and prophetes and being borne of her she remayning and contynuing stil a chaste and a pure maide very God and very man in one inseperable persone without confusion of the natures of his godhead and manhead together he became like vnto men his brethreÌ„ touching his reasonable and immortal soule and his mortal body in al thinges sinne only except And after this maner I confesse that he was conceaued very natural man in the wombe of that chaste and most pure virgin and of her blessed
A confession of the most auncient and true christeÌ„ catholike olde belefe accordyng to the ordre of the xii articles of our coÌ„mon Crede set furthe in Englishe to the glory of almightye God and to the confirmacion of Christes people in Christes catholike olde faith By I. D. Psal 116. I beleue and therfore haue I spoken Roma 10. The belefe of the hearte iustifieth and the mouthe confesseth to saluacion ☞ Imprinted in Sothewarke by Christophor Truthal Cum priuilegio Regalj In April 1556. To the vnfayned fauourours louers of the pure worde and Gospell of Iesus Christ enhabiting within the cities and diocese of Couentrie and Lichfelde and in all other places where it hathe chaunced me to haue occupied the rowme of a Preacher Grace mercye and peace ioyned with earnest repentauÌ„ce and constaunt faithe in the doctrine of the Gospell froÌ„ God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ the coÌ„mon only saueour of the worlde MY most sounng frendes and brethreÌ„ concerning our coÌ„mon faith in Christ our Lorde where of late dayes I am contemptuously and slaunderously reported and named among some to be an erroneous felowe one of the new learning an heretike one of Latimers secte I wotte not what Be it knowen to the worlde that I am none other thaÌ„ a true christian man regenerate instructed nowe in my middle age in the blessed schole of Goddes most holy Bible and Testament thankes be to his fatherly bounteous mercy therfore sythence I haue not folowed the secte of any earthy man nether grounded myne opinion faithe or doctrine vpoÌ„ any newe learning or heresie but vpon the most certaine pure vnfailing true worde and learning of almightie God sent downe reuealed taught from the seate of his Maiestie preached at his coÌ„mauÌ„dement by the fathers and prophetes by Christ his sonne and his holy Apostles and also regestred and specified in the rolles euideÌ„ces of the holy sacred scriptures to be the fouÌ„dacion rule and lawe for the true catholike churche of God to be builded vpon and ruled by from the begynning of the worlde vnto the laste daye of iudgement And here vpon only haue I set the building of my faythe Iesus Christ hym self beyng the head corner stone Ephe. 2. and according thervnto I haue diligently and faythfully taught and instructed my parisheners and neighbours as vnto my vocacion I consydered it iustlye to apperteyne NotwithstaÌ„dyng like as S. paule reporteth that Apollo he were ministers 1. Cor. 3. by whom the CorinthiaÌ„s beleued as God distributed vnto euery one euen so doo I acknowlage from the botome of my harte vnfeynedly confesse that the reuerende father of blessed memorie Hugh Latimer was to the Hugh Latymer very death a right worthy instrumeÌ„t minister of God by whose most holsome doctrine syncere exaÌ„ple of godly lyfe and constauÌ„t frendship towardes me it hathe pleased thalmighty Lord to open vnto me among many other the most vnworthy the true christian faithe to cal me out of the damnable darkenesse of Antichristes iniquirie in to the true light of Christes gospelles veritie And like as the people of Berrhoe by diligent reading and examining Act. 17. of the scriptures fouÌ„de that Paules doctrine was bothe right true and certainly good euen so do I vndoubtedly credite plainly testifye the doctrine aswel of the glorious martir of Iesus Christ Hugh Latimer concernyng Iustificacion other articles of the christen faithe as also of the most reuerende father in God and right constaunt confessour of Christ Iesus Thomas Cranmere Archebishop of Cantorbury concerning the blessed sacrament Thomas Cranmer of Christes precious body bloud most catholikely and syncerely set furthe in print not being sedde by any carnall affeccion towardes their persones nether for worldly promocion but bicause I haue perfitly proued their doctrine to be conteyned in the holy sacred scriptures by testimonie and waraunt wherof they and other ministers of Christes gospell haue taught and set furthe the true catholike doctrine worde of maÌ„nes saluacion accordingly And forasmuche as I esteme them men which without sure holde of the scriptures might both haue deceaued and ben deceaued therfore I and all other that be knytte together in one true vntoÌ„ and knotte of Christes spirite laye our foundacion grounde worke not vpoÌ„ fleshe bloud that is to saye vpoÌ„ no mannes worde of what power vertue wisdome learning autoritie estate or coÌ„dicioÌ„ so euer he be but vpoÌ„ the vnfailing true worde of the almightie euerlyuing Lorde God In the meane while yf any man can teache me better more truly by the holy canonical scripture I am coÌ„tent as reason is gladly hartily to folowe him willingly geue him place with coÌ„digne praise great gramercies But as for any other doctrine of faith besides the scriptures or contraryr to the autoritie of the scriptures either elles by violent wrasting and wrythyng of the scriptures out of of their owne seÌ„se or right meanyng I shall by the assistence of goddes merciful helpe neuer suffre my selfe to be plucked awaye froÌ„ the simple plaine apostolike true faithe bicause man is frely iustified by this saith and euery fayth contrary to this is a dead fruteles faithe euery doctrine not fouÌ„ded vpon or coÌ„trarie to Goddes holy boke Ro. 3. 4. Iac. 2. Gal. 1. the Bible is to be holde accursed yea although it were preached set furthe or coÌ„mauÌ„ded by an Angel of heauen muche more by any mortall creature thoughe it be neuer so great a Kyng Quene gouernour or potentate And coÌ„cerning the holy canonicall The holy canonical Scriptures scripture I among other poore ministers of the Gospel hauing charge of soule folowing the exaÌ„ples of other christiaÌ„ churches teachers haue beleued taught my parisheners and neyghbours so stil beleue and testifie on this maner of waye folowing The canonical scripture I meane the holy Bible which is the true vnfailing declaracion of the eternal wil of God deliuered by the holy Goost preached diligently declared vnto the worlde vnto maÌ„kinde I meane by the holy prophetes chosen apostles is of al other the most auÌ„cient most perfite most excelleÌ„t doctrine coÌ„preheÌ„ding teaching absolutly fully al that is necessarely required to the holsome know lage of God to true faithe the true worship of God to true christian righteousnesse and to the framyng ordring of honest blessed holy lyfe And forasmuche as the Canonical scripture the Bible I saye is the selfe same worde that the eternal God him selfe hath spoken and taught and therfore endureth permanent to be a lanterne vnto the fete a light vnto meÌ„nes fotesteppes ê“cedinges for euermore it hath fidelitie autoritie certaitie truthe estimacioÌ„ perfectioÌ„ pleinteously ynough in it self so as it ought not to be made authentike again by the churche or by autoritie of the wytnesse of men either yet to be piceâ—â—… and patched
and acceptable vnto God for his workes sake For it is the only deathe of Christ and free grace and pardon of God that maketh a man acceptable vnto God and fitte vnto all good workes yea to speake truly and plainly All the good workes that true faithfull people doo are nothing elles but a certain free working that the grace of God enforceth procureth Wherfore all that is spoken in the scriptures concerning the merite and rewarde that the faithful shall haue ought rightly to be iudged and taken for the grace and free gifte of God By reasoÌ„ wherof S Austi also taught that all the good workes that the faythfull do are the grace of God the God dothe crowne reward his owne merites in the faithfull which he of his bounteous liberalitie reputeth as though they were our merites or as though we of our selues deserued theÌ„ Touching theight Article I beleue confesse that the holy goost the thrid The. 8 Article persone in Trinitie is the very true eternal God with the father the sonne that our Lorde Iesus now reigneth administreth al thinges in his churche by the holy goost as he him self said I wil pray the father he shal geue you an other comfortour to abyde with you for euer euen the spirite of truth which the worlde can not receaue because he seeth hiÌ„ not nor knoweth him But you knowe him for he abideth with you shal be in you Be shal teache you al thiÌ„ges put you in remeÌ„braunce of al thinges what so euer I haue spoken vnto you And againe he saieth I tel you truthe it is expedient for you that I go away For yf I go not away that comfortour shall not come vnto you But yf I goo away I shall sende him vnto you And whaÌ„ he cometh he shal reproue that world of sinne of righteousnes of iudgemeÌ„t Therfore all those that be true preachers ministers haue plaiÌ„ly instructed taught their parisheners people as I according to my poore talent haue done the our Lorde Iesus Christ is not nowe corporally with his churche here vpon earthe but that he worketh reigneth in his faithful flocke by the holy goost ê“ceding froÌ„ the father and him and by the same spirite doth comforte and sanctifie the faithfull Al the ioye all the vertue all the sanctificacion that is in the faithfull is of the spirite of God And without this spirite of God ther is nothing either holy or perfite Ther is no maÌ„ in al the wyde worlde that hathe faithe of him selfe but aswell faithe as al other good giftes are of the spirite of God as the holy apostle S. Paule dothe manyfoldly and in many places of his epistles teache and make mencion but specially Ephe. 4. and. 1. Cor. 12. The. 9. Article Concerning the nynthe Article I beleue coÌ„fesse that all they which truly beleue in Christ throughout all the hole what the true catholike churche of Christis vniuersal worlde are one body one church of Christ whoÌ„ he sanctifieth by his holy spirite in his own blood And all they are with one only boÌ„de knot of faithe through loue vnited knit to Christ one to another among them selues lyke membres all of one body and principally they are made partakers of the free grace gyftes of their heade and saueour Iesus Christ This churche is holy this churche is begotten and borne of the worde of God recorded in the holy scriptures this churche dothe frame and ordre al thynges accordyng to the worde of God this churche lyueth in christen sobrenesse and honest discipline this churche alwayes whan it maye and hauing no necessary lette is partaker of Christes most holy sacramentes which be two in nombre Baptisme the Lordes Supper From this churche the holy scriptures and syncere teachers therof do exclude and barre out nother the vse of mariage from any state or profession of men or women nor the possession and ê“pretie of worldly substaunce nether honest occupacions or worldly trauailes ne yet the ordres degrees of rulers and magistrates nother higher powers nor nobilitie ne yomaÌ„rie nether bonde nor free maister nor seruaunt nor any suche estates of meÌ„ This churche albeit not many wyse after that fleshe not many great estates nor many noble are chosen membres of the same yet for asmuche as euery long and nacion vnder heauen bothe Psal 113. of the Iewes and of the gentiles and some of euery state prayse the name of the Lorde from the rysyng of the Sunne to the Sunne settyng and seyng the voice of this churche is heard throughout all the coastes of the hole worlde and as the prophete sayeth hathe spread her braunches vnto the Psal 80. sea and her boughes vnto the ryuers therfore according to this article it is ryghtly called the catholike or vniuersal churche And bicause it is begotten borne 1. Pe. 1. of the immortall sede the worde of God mencioned in the scriptures heareth the voice of her head and shepeherde Iesus Christ sleeth from the voice of Ioh. 10. all straunge doctrines and spirites that be without or coÌ„trary to that worde and dothe all thynges lyke an obedient wyfe as her husbande Christ biddeth Ephe. 5. her in his written worde therfore is it also iustlye called the holye churche But forasmuche as the supremacie iurisdicion power antoritie lawes The popishe churche doctrine of the bishop and churche of Rome be not grouÌ„ded vpon Goddes worde which the Lordes shepe that is to saye his church and flocke heareth nor hath beÌ„ nether euer shal be heard receaued obeyed in al tongues nacions of true christen people but of a certain folkes in a fewe realmes dominions people whose eyes sathan the God of this worlde hath blinded and bewitched their myndes among whom Christ neuerthelesse scattereth his sely shepe and defendeth them vnder the shadowe of his gracious wynges euen as the heÌ„ne dothe her yong chickens therfore it foloweth manyfestlye that the bishop and churche of Rome with all his sacrificeing chaplayns other meÌ„bres coÌ„plices whosoeuer depending vpoÌ„ or cleaning to the supremacie new strauÌ„ge lawes constitucioÌ„s decrees tradicioÌ„s customes of the bishop church of Ro. may not be iustly called the catholike or vniuersal churche of Christ And forasmuche also as the supremacie lawes customes canones decrees doctrines of the bishop churche of Rome for the most parte with their meÌ„bres ar not borne nor truly grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ the fouÌ„dacioÌ„ immortall sede of the worde of God nother do the papistes frame administre their tradicions doctrine religion sacramentes ceremonies according to the testament and gospel of God but vpon the deuises and power of men The teachers mainteners of that Romishe power supremacie religion with their membres coÌ„plices are falsely called the holy church Bicause that churche or flocke of christen shepe wherof Christ
to call vpon God through Iesus Christ and alwayes faithfully to set furthe his praise according to the doctrine of the holy scriptures as also to beware and take hede that ye make no inuocacion nor praier to the sayntes departed for helpe or succour forasmuche as to make any moo or any other mediatours intercessours spokesmen sutours or attournayes to the throne of Goddes mercie for any necessary thing either bodyly or goostli but only Iesus Christ our alone euerlasting sacrificer and aduocate is the horrible transgression of the furst coÌ„manÌ„demeÌ„t dishonour to the high maiestie of God the father preiudice to the honour dignite of Christes euerlastig priesthode blasphemous against the schole learning of the holy goost vtterly against our coÌ„moÌ„ catholike Crede and contrary to the doctrine and example of all the patriarkes prophetes apostles euangelistes martires confessours and virgines that haue any name or commeÌ„dacion either in the olde testament or newe a plaine denyall and falsifyeng of the hole body of the blessed Bible the most vndoubted true holy worde of almightie God Concerning the seuenth Article I beleue and confesse that the state The. 7. Article of this season and this corruptible worlde which hathe his beginnyng and was created of God shall haue also his ending and be vtterly despeched and that at the final despeche of the worlde Christ our Lorde shall in the same body that was wouÌ„ded nailed on the crosse come vnfailingly in the clowdes of heauen to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead For at suche tyme as the most parte of this worlde shall layne and holde with the power of Antichrist flyrting of the tyme in most horrible conteÌ„pt of bothe God and his worde and walowing themselfes in all kynde of sinne abominacion and lust and shal deuise and set their myndes vpon mocking and persecuting of them that be true faithful christeÌ„ beleuers than shall Christ at a sodain cheoppe as it were lightenyng from heauen com in the clowdes with his holy angelles vnto iudgement And the same houre as many as haue died from the begynnyng of the worlde vnto the last ende of the worlde shall by the might power of Christ rise strayghtwaye again vnto life the other that are not than departed this life but haue lyued still vnto the last daye shall in the space of a momeÌ„t or the twincling of an eie be chaunged from mortalitie and corruption in to immortalitie and vncorrupcion And after that all meÌ„ of al partes of the worlde shal be restored gathered together and be presented staÌ„de before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ shall see the iudge ouer their heades corporally in the selfe same bodye that he fuffred in And than the righteous iudge our Lorde Iesus Christ shall pronounce and geue his last and most iust iudgement vpon al fleshe in the same maner fourme that he long agoo tolde before hande Matth. 25. Than shall euery one receaue according to their workes Than as Christes body was at his ascension taken vp from the mount Oliuete so shal they that be faithfull by the might and power of God be taken from this earthe bothe body and soule and caried vp in to the clowdes vnto Christ our Lorde Him they shall folowe and with him shall they dwell in euerlasting ioye for euermore continually to abyde And those that be vnfaithfull wicked shal be deliuered to the deuil whose chaÌ„piones and householde seruauntes they were to fele and abyde both body soule suche paynes sorowes and tormeÌ„tes as no tongue caÌ„ expresse for euer to endure worlde without ende In this behalfe I haue alwaies besought my parisheners hearers so now I require theÌ„ eftesones to the same to set euer before their eies diligently to print in their myndes that last iudgement of God and with earnest repentauÌ„ce of their former filthy life to geue themselues vnto christen charitie good workes For like as the holy scripture dothe clearely and euidently shewe that we are not made righteous blessed and holy by our owne merites and good workes but by the only grace of Christ through faithe so that all glorie and honour must be manifestly and plainly ascribed and geuen to the only fre grace and pardon of God and to the redeÌ„ption of Iesus Christ his sonne euen so haue I euer taught and now by the waraunt of Goddes most holy worde confesse and constauntly affirme that this doctrine of faithe is vnauaileable and of non effecte to impenitent hooremongers bawdes gluttones dronkerdes oppressours brivers Idolaters men pleasers epicures and other wicked vnfaithful persones And that this lyuely iustifieng faithe is the worker of all maner of good workes what so euer they be according to the worde of God For he that is iustified and made righteous as faithe only iustifieth and maketh righteous doth liue also iustly and righteously and iustly and righteously doth al thinges And he that dothe faithfully beleue the worde of God dothe without al doubt perceaue and knowe that to be good which God commaundeth and that to be euil what so euer he forbiddeth Yea it is the very wonted maner of faithe it selfe to moue and enforce the iustified maÌ„ to eschue that is euil folowe that is good and right Moreouer he that perfitly throughly by faithe vnderstandeth the mater of mannes saluacion and redempcion bothe doubtles loue bothe God his neighbour And loue is the perfite fulfilling of the lawe yea in the loue of God and a mannes neighbour heÌ„geth al the hole lawe the prophetes These maner of workes which be the frutes of the spirite faith and charitie and that we should fall to amendement of our life and what so euer the worde of God dothe furthermore commende vnto vs like as all faithfull preachers and Ministers doo diligently teache and set furthe vnto the people euen so they abhorre reiecte all suche workes as folkes are vsed to fantasie and deuise of their owne braynes deuocion or good intentes coÌ„trary or without the sure warrauÌ„t of Goddes worde how vertuous or how holy so euer they be estemed or how long so euer they haue ben accustomed and vsed For as saint Augustin saithe Whan the truth is manifestly De vnico Baptis Li. 2. shewed custoÌ„ ought to geue place vnto the truthe And moreouer he allegeth Let no man preferre custom before reason truthe for reason truthe do alwaies shutte custom out of the dores And the holy martir S. Ciprian saith also we ought not to passe what our elders and fathers that were before vs did but muche rather what Christ which was before all men coÌ„maundeth vs to doo This also doo all godly preachers ministres warne the people of that no man that walketh in the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God and is riche in good workes in dede set his workes in Christes place nor put any asâ—â—aunce confidence or trust in theÌ„ as though he were made righteous holy
wil some saye God is merciful It is true His mercie is on thē that feare him throughout al generacions But wittingly and willingly to heape synne vpō synne in hope of goddes mercy is most shamelesly to abuse the goodnes of God and stampe vnder foote the graces of his spirite according to the hardnesse of the hart that can not repent to laye wrathe together in stoare against the daye of wrathe at the open declaracion of the iust iudgement of God which shall rendre to euery one according to this dedes Neuertheles I say not this to dryue myne olde neighbours and countrey men in to desperacion for setting vp or hearing of that wicked Masse but to moue them vnto earnest repētaūce to powre out their continual hūble hartie praiers greuous gronynges before the throne of Goddes grace aswel for pardon of their deserued euil as for the repulse of this massing mischief out of the realme to thintent thei may also haue a good hope of god des mercie that he for his sonne Christes sake will defende and deliuer his persecuted flocke by sō doughty Daniel as he did Susanna according to his promise by the prophet Dauid Now for the comfortles troubles safe of the Psal 12. nedy and bicause of the depe sighing of the poore I will vp saithe the Lorde Alas whā was ther more comfortles trouble Whā was ther more nede Whā was ther more cause of depe sighing than now Repēt therfore for Goddes sake repent and praye And forasmuche as we nother knowe nor acknowlage any other Purgatory purgacion or purgatorie clensing awaye of synnes but only the blood of Iesus Christ I haue euer taught and still doo affirme that the soules of thē which be departed this life are pourged or scowred no where elles nother in any purgatory fire nor popes scalding house but I saye that the powches of them that be alyue are rather emptied and scowred by purgatorie purgacion through these false lyeng lickepeny dreames A faithfull mannes soule as sone as it departeth from the body go the straight to heauen and the vnfaithfull mannes soule straight to hell as it shall anon be declared more plainly In like maner the religious life of cloystre men and women is not to be compted meritorious for the remission Cloistre religion of synne nor among the states of an holy life as it is vsed vnder the papacie but rather an idle supersticious and an Antichristian life a very enemye to the religiō and doctrine of Christ and his apostles and good for no honest vse in the common weale as their filthy dedes foūde in the kinges visitacion are not yet out of remembraunce Concerning the eleuenth Ariticle Th◠11. Article I beleue and confesse that these our bodies wherin we doo worke in this worlde either good or euil shal ryse agayne from the deade and non other for them nor in their stede that is to saye that this same fleshe of ours being raysed vp at the later daye shal by the power of God risepfitly in dede and that dead folkes soules being returned thā to their raised bodies shal-be ioyned and coupled to them again that all maner of folkes be the good and badde shall ryse and appeare accordig to S. Paules sayeng We must 2. Cor. 5. nedes be all presented before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receaue the workes of his body according to that he hathe done in the body whether it be good or badde Neuerthelesse the righteous shall after thexample of their head Christ be gloriously clarified in their bodies vnto vncorrupcion eternal lyfe and euerlasting ioye that no tongue can expresse Than shal the righteous shyne lyke the sūne in the kingdome of the father where cōtrary wyse the vnfaithfull folkes shall not be clarified but shal be made immortal vncorruptible that they may endure eternal sorowes paines heauynesse tormentes worlde without ende But this resurrecciō of the dead shal be in the last daye whan our Lord shal come as we said before to iudge bothe the quicke the deade Finally as to the .xii. Article I beleue confesse that after this our transitorie The. 12. Article lyfe ther shal an eternal euerlasting lyfe folowe which God of his owne mere grace fauour prepared for mankynde before the beginning of the worlde hathe promised it in Christ to al them that be faithful and wil bothe truly faythfully performe bestowe it vpō thē So that whā a faithful persone departeth his soule goeth nother into any iudgemēt nor into any fire ne into the slaughterhouse of any maner of payne nother doth it fall on siepe for it can not slepe nor dyeth t the bodie for it cā not dye but only it departeth frō the body is by the power of Christ takē vp receaued into euerlasting ioye blisse And cōtrarywise almightie god of his iustice hath p̄pared ordained after this lyfe eternal death also that is to saye eternal euerlasting payne eternal tormētes sorowes euerlasting dānacion for al them that are vnfaithfull and can not repent so that whan an vnfaithfull person dieth out of the fauour of Christ and perisheth in his sinnes his soule also as sone as it is out of the bodie is straight caried to hell and put in to euerlasting sorowes and tormentes And albeit the vnfaithfull mannes soule shall at the resurreccion of the dead returne to his bodye and be ioyned again vnto it yet it shal be dryuen away with the body and with the deuil him self frō the sight and presence of God in to euerlasting paynes euē as the faithfull people shall at the last daye be receaued bothe bodye soule in to euerlasting ioye Amen Lo my good brothren and louing frendes This is my belief this is my faithe this is the pith and sūme of the chief most maters that I euer taught among my parisheners and neighbours during the tyme of my ministerie And I am sure that this is no new fangled nor erroneous doctrine neither any kīde of heresie but the most vndoubted true the very catholike christen faithe and the most aunciēt and substauntical learning and doctrine beleued and preached by the prophetes and apostles as they receaued learned it of the Lorde God him selfe And although tyrānes and papistes with other phantastical spirites of errour do conspire conuent murther emprison racke rage neuer so craftily neuer so maliciously neuer so slaunderously and neuer so furiously against the preachers and ministers of this faithe yet the deuil him self and the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it Therfore seing it hathe pleased our most mercifull God to geue vnto me most vnworthy wretche his gracious light of this faithe and particular charge in this ministerie Considering also that Iesus Christ wolde not that the candelles appointed to serue his householde with their light shoulde be shoued vnder a bushell but