the entrance of the Church a washing of regeneration and a renewing in the holye Ghost by which we renownce our selues Sathan the flesh sinne and the worlde for hauing layd away the olde man with all his concupicences we put on the newe man which is Iesus Christe in righteousnesse and holinesse with whome we dye and are buried in his death that as Christe is rysen from death by the glorye of the Father so should we walke in newnesse of life mortifiyng alwayes that which is of vs in vs for to destroy and roote out the body of sinne The .lxi. Article I Beléeue that that baptisme ought to be administred not with oyle salt spittle or such like things but only in pure and cleane water in the name of the Father the sonne and of the holye Ghoste after the ordinance and institution of God without chaunging any thing adding or diminishing and that altogether in a vulgare and common language vnderstanded of all forasmuch as all that which is doon or sayde in the Churche of Christe ought to be vnderstanded and knowen of all the faythfull By that Baptisme wee are chaunged and transformed from the Children of wrath sinne dyuell and perdition into the children of God of grace and saluation For to bee heyres of GOD and coheyres with Christe in eternall lyfe And therefore it ought to be geuen and bestowed onely to reasonable creatures which are capable of those thinges and not vnto vels or such like things whiche cannot receyue it nor exercyse the thinges sygnifyed by the same The .lxii. Article I Beléeue that Baptisme of water not to bee so necessary vnto saluation that man cannot be saued without it in case of necessitye Also I doubt not of the saluation of the litle Infanntes which dye without Baptisme but that they are saued in the fayth of theyr parentes aswell as if they were baptised as also in tymes past the litle Chyldren vnder the lawe whiche dyed without Circumcision were saued in the fayth of theyr parentes I vnderstande that onely of the children of the faythfull to whome the promyses of the Lorde appertayned and not to the Infidels and reprobate The .lxiii. Article I Beléeue that the holye Sacrament of the Supper is a holye and externe Ceremonye instituted by Iesus Christe in his Gospell one day ebefore his death vnder the likenesse of breade and wine in remembrance and recordation of his death and passion hauyng and contayning in it the promyse of the forgeuenesse of synnes by whych we perticipate truly the body and blood of Iesus Christe and are nurrished and fed in the Lordes house which is his Church after that we are entred in the same by the Baptisme That also ought to be geuen and bestowed vnto all vnder both kindes after the ordinance commaundement of Christe against which it is not lawfull to attempt any thing The .lxiiii. Article I Beléeue that in that holye Sacrament the signes or Symboles are not in any wise chainged but that they abide wholye in theyr nature That is to say that the bread is not changed nor transubstantiated as the Caphardes and false Doctors haue taught deceiuing the poore people into the body of Iesus Christ neither the wine transustantiated into hys blood But that the bread abydeth alwayes bread and the wine wine euerye one in his proper and first nature For the wordes which Christe spake vnto his Apostles in geuing the bread saying This is my body I do vnderstand and beléeue it to be spoken by a figure called Metonimia whiche is a kinde of speaking verye common in the holye scriptures as the holy scriptures and ecclesiasticall Doctors Ireneus Cyprian Tertulian Ambrose Augustine Chrysostome and such other haue vnderstanded and declared by theyr writinges who lyued before the Counsell of Lateran in which was concluded the transubstantiation of the bread into the body of Christe and the wine into his blood and geuen for an article of faith to the great dishonor of God and offence of all the Church in the yeere of our Lorde .1050 by pope Leo the ninth in whiche tyme Sathan was then let loose as was foreshewed in the Apocalips troubled the Church of Christe more then it was before The .lxv. Article I Beléeue that all that Sacrament lieth and consisteth in vsing so that in not vsing that bread and that wine do differ nothing from other cōmon bread and wine which men vse commonly in their houses therfore I beléeue not that the body of Christ is contayned tyed or enclosed in that bread vnder that bread or with that bread neither the blood in that wine vnder that wine or with that wine But I beleeue and confesse his body to be in heauen at the right hande of the Father as we haue declared before and that as often and when we vse that bread and that wine according to the ordinance and institution of Christ that truly and indéede we receyue his body and his blood The .lxvi. Article I Beleeue that that receyuing is doone not carnallye or corporally but in spyrite thorow a lyuelye and true fayth That is to saye that the body and blood of Christe are not geuen to the mouth or belly for the nurrishing of the bodye but to our fayth for nurrishing of the spirite and inwarde manne to eternall lyfe And for to doo that it is not needefull that Christe descende from heauen for to come vnto vs but that we ascende vnto him addressing our hartes thorow lyuely fayth an hygh to the right hand of the father where he sitteth from whence we looke for our redemption and not to séeke it in these corruptible elementes The .lxvii. Article I Beléeue that that holye Supper is a Sacrament of fayth vnto the faythfull onely and not for the infidelles in which one fyndeth and receyueth that that one bringeth thyther and no more except it be peraduenture augmentation of fayth grace and vertue and therfore in the same those onelye doo receyue and finde Iesus Christ to saluatiō which bringe it with them thorow a lyuely and true fayth But others doo finde and receyue there onely the externe and visible Symboles and that to their condempnation as Iudas and other such wicked and reprobate The .lxviii. Article I Beléeue that that Sacrament containeth two thinges one which is terrestriall carnall and vsible another which is celestiall spirituall and inuisible and I do confesse that as our body and inward man receyueth the terrestriall and visible thing which is the bread and the wine by which it is alymented and nurrished that also verely our spirit and inward man receiued the celestiall spirituall thing signified by the bread wine to wete the body and blood of Christe So that we are made one with him bone of his bones flesh of his flesh perticipating with him in all righteousnesse
saying Knowe the Lord For all shall knowe him from the greatest to the least among them The lxxxxix Article I Doo also beléeue that as the soules and spyrites of the Infidels wicked and reprobate after they are departed from the body that strayght way they descende into hell in the eternall fyre of hell their bodies remayning in the earth corrupted and rotten So the spirites and soules of the faithfull and elect children of God assoone as they depart from their body without tarying any whytte doo go strayght way into heauen into glorye with the Lorde And there doo looke for alwayes with great desyre the comming and totall redemption of their bodyes the which they haue left rotten and corrupted in the earth the which they shall obtaine at the latter daye and not before Wherein I reiect the foolysh opinion of the dreamers although there be of the auncients and excellent Authors which affirme the spirites of the Saints not to be yet in heauen but to sléepe in a certaine place to vs vnknowen vntyll they hauing receyued theyr bodyes at the latter daye in which the mysticall body of Christ being entyer perfect and fulfilled ought to enter into eternall glory The C. Article FInally I beléeue that as the Saints and blessed the Iudgement being done doo go with Christe triumphing in the ayre in body and soule for to abyde eternally in glorie with him and his Angelles That so the wicked myserable and dampned shall go into hel in body and soule with the diuell and his angels for to abyde there eternally and to be tormented with him in hell fire which neuer goeth out where is wéeping and gnashing of teethe where the woorme neuer dyeth From which the Lorde preserue and kéepe vs thorowe his grace and mercie Amen ⧠The Conclusion BEholde my déere and welbeloued brethren in Iesus Christ briefly the fayth knowledge of the mysteries which the Lorde hath geuen and bestowed vppon mee thorowe his grace and mercy vnworthy and poore sinner which haue not meryted so much goodnesse towardes him but rather his wrath and iudgement And therfore I know and confesse all to haue procéeded from him vnto whom onely I render eternall thankes whome also I beséeche in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord to preserue kéepe me thorow his holy spirit in that faith vnto the ende to geue mee grace vertue power to confesse it with the hart and mouth aswell before the Infidelles as the faithfull the tyrants and hangmen of Antechrist to mayntaine the same vnto the last drop of my blood I desire greatly to lyue and dye in the faith knowing being well assured that it hath for her foūdation the only word of God and that in the same al the holy Fathers Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles of Iesus Christ haue liued and dyed in it That is the true knowledge of the Lord the which consysteth in the beatytude and felicitie of man as Christe sayth in the Gospell This is lyfe eternall O Father that we acknowledge thée to be very God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christe This is the auncient doctrine nowe reuealed by the holy spyrite the which in our tyme was raysed vp againe and as from the bottome of the depthes was restored vnto vs againe by the grace and mercye of God and by the mynistring of good Doctors and true faythfull Mynisters of the same This is the hydden trueth the which was buryed and kepte close by that Antechriste of Rome and his false Prophets these fiue hundreth yéeres or there about who in stéede thereof dyd auaunce their dreaminges and mans traditions and other lyke doctrine fryuolous vaine and vnprofitable to the great dishonor of God to the offending of the faythfull and to the ruyne of all the Churche of Iesus Christe As also they doo yet at this daye in many places thorowe out the world persecuting that holy Euangelicall doctrine in all places and by all meanes Endeuoring them selues to burie it againe to hyde and couer it and altogether to destroye it but they shall all perish in their enterprises and the worde of the Gospell shall abyde eternally For so hath hée promised who is onely true and can not lye And heauen and earth shall sooner passe then his promise shoulde not hée fulfilled Wherefore blessed is hée that shall continue vnto the ende in that doctrine For he shall be partaker of all the promises of God And on the contrarie wo be vnto him that shall contempne despyse or reiecte it For the wrath of God abydeth vpon him Hée that beléeueth in mée sayth Christe hee shall not bée condempned But hée that beléeueth not hee is alreadye condempned his parte and portion shall be with the peruerse and wycked Hypocrites in eternall hell fyre Also I reiecte alwayes the doctryne of Luiterim with whome I wyll haue neyther parte nor portion And also I renownce all the doctryne of that Antechrist of Rome with al his Idolatries mans sectes errors and papisticall superstitions in which I haue bene some tyme plunged in it to my great hurte euen vp to the eares abusing my selfe after the creatures forsaking my Creator persecuting yea euē vnto death those which dyd teache that same which I now beléeue and confes But I haue obtained mercy of the Lord because I dyd it thorow ignoraunce in my vnbeléefe as many do yet at this day thorowe out the worlde being lead and conducted with a foolish vndiscrete zeale who in accusing persecuting and putting to death the faithfull and true members of Iesus Christe which doo seeke nothing else but the honor of God and the saluation of all the worlde doo thinke to doo things agréeable to God and to offer vnto him great Sacrifices whome I desire not to be so wylful and rash in iudgement but to examine it neerer and to searche and trye the matter better before they take any thing in hande To the ende they be not one day constrained to say confesse that which I nowe confesse of my selfe that they haue shamefully erred and sinned But thinking they dyd well notwithstanding in persecuting my good Lorde maister and onely sauior Iesus Christ For that which I haue done vnto his members and faithfull whome then I esteemed as Heretickes seditious and blasphemers of God and of his worde where they were louers thereof I doo esteeme that I dyd it vnto him selfe For hee sayth in the Gospell that that which men do vnto those which beleeue in him hee esteemeth it to be done vnto himselfe be it good or euyll The which he hath afterwards confirmed to Paul persecuting his Church after his ascencion I then knowing the great errors abuses and superstitions wherein I was plunged beforetyme Nowe I renounce and forsake all Idolatryes and false doctrines which are contrary and against the doctrine of my maister Iesus Christe which is the holy and pure worde
as it is sayd for the young ones simple and ignoraunt who maye take what they thinke good and leaue the rest for to auoyd prolixity therfore I haue deuided and distinguished it by Articles Furthermore this Confession is deuided in to foure principall poyntes In the first I shew what I beleeue of the holy Trinitie chiefly of the eternall Father and of the thinges made by him of the first creation of man and of his fall In the second what I beléeue of the Sonne which is the second person and of the thinges by him made chiefly of the repayring and restoring of man In the third what I beléeue of the holy ghost which is the thirde person of the holye Trynitie by whom man made by the Father and restored by the Sonne is mayntained and kept in his being In the fourth what I beléeue of the holy Catholike Church and of the thinges concerning the same That doon I shew and declare the great frutes proceeding and comming from that fayth whiche are thrée in number as you may see towardes the ende And all of it is made after the order of the simbole or creede which we call commonly the Apostles creede which hath bene receiued at all tymes without any contraduction in the Catholike Church And let no man maruaile although I multiplye these Articles vnto an hundreth although that the Créede containeth but twelue For euery one of the twelue contayneth other twelue and more Doo then as the honnye Bées who of all flowers doo gather profit By that meanes you shall augment more and more in fayth and knowledg of the Lord in charity and loue towardes your neyghbours for therein dependeth all the lawe and the Prophets I beséeche that good God and celestiall father which hath deliuered you from the tirraunye of Antechriste and hath drawne you from darknesse error and ignorance opening your inward eyes declaring him selfe vnto you by his Gospell that it would please him to augment alwaies his giftes graces and benedictions in you to direct and keepe you by his holy spirite Vnto eternall life in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe our Lord and one-Sauiour Amen From Strasburg 24. Iuly 1549. ¶ Iohn Brooke to the Christian Reader THis litle Pamphlet gentle Reader may seeme vnto thee a thing of small value and lesse importance if thou make thy estimation thereof by the small outwarde showe and feeling But if in this litle and light worke to the eye be encluded great and waighty matter if in this briefe and short Treatise be wrapped and sufficiently set forth long and manifold causes how much the more then is it to be imbraced and estemed I promyse thee nothing but for gramrecye offer thee my good wyll and trauaile I red it in French written by master Iohn Gardiner and finding it pithy profitable and necessary to bee red of all Christians for thine onelye commodity and comfort I haue translated him into thy mother tongue If in this translation thou finde any imperfection let my zeale good meaning towardes thee counteruaile or rather preuaile to gaine thy friendly acceptaunce and do not therein condemne the thing or the Authour who vndoubtedly needeth no supporter or defender but bringeth with him munition and defence sufficient But aduenture I say the reading as I did at the firste if thou finde him worthye make it a Iewell vnto thee beare him daily in thy hand or button him nere thy hart in thy bosō he is neither heauy nor cūbrous nor wil be vnto thee very chargeable Gods holy spirite be thy guide in reading and vnderstanding to the establishment and confirmation of thy Christian faith Farewell ⧠A briefe and cleare Confession of the Christian Fayth contayning a hundreth Articles after the order of the Apostles Creede I beleeue in GOD the Father almightye maker of Heauen and Earth The .1 Article FIrst of al I beleue in one GOD onely in essence and substaunce thrée in person the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Father as the Originall and beginning of all thinges aswell visible as inuisible Of whome also they depende aswell in their being as conseruation And he dependeth not but of him selfe eternall without ende and without beginning The Sonne as the heauenly worde the sapience and wisdome of the Father which is eternally before al worlds begotten of the Father of his proper substaunce and nature Because that in him shineth his proper carecter Image otherwise inuisible vnto the mortall man. The holy Ghost as the vertue and eternall power which is neyther made nor created nor begotten but proceeding from the father and the Sonne eternally as alone proceeding of two persons The 2 Article I Beléeue that these three persons are of one essence and substance nature Authoritie power will goodnesse wisdome and eternitie And that these three are but one spirituall substaunce eternall without ende and beginning true good iust mercifull of soueraigne power and wisdome hauing and containing in him selfe all goodnes hauing no neede of any thing The 3. Article I Beleeue that GOD being so onely one in essence and three in person ought onely to be serued honored feared loued adored and inuocated in all our necessities as he which can and wil prouide for them and none other And therefore I say and confesse that I beleeue in one God that is to saye I acknowledge and receyue him for one onely Lorde Mayster and Sauiour of whome proceedeth all my goodnesse with whom I can do all things Without whom I can do nothing In him alone I doe trust and fixe all my harte hoping that he will take my parte against all men assisting me alwayes through his holye spirite and deliuering me from all perilles and daungers through his grace and mercye without my merits administring vnto me all thinges necessary aswell for the soule as body as a good father as he promised me by his word The .4 Article I Beleeue that he being altogether puissant hath of nothing from the beginning created Heauen and Earth and all things that are therin That is to saye all thinges aswell celestiall as terrestriall visible as inuisible reasonable as vnreasonable sensible as insensible Whome he kéepeth guideth ruleth and gouerneth through his diuine wisdome without whose prouidence nothing commeth to passe neyther in this world nor in the other The .v. Article I Beléeue that the same God the father Sonne and holye Ghost after hauing created all thinges created and made man after his owne Image and likenesse that is to saye immortall good iust true sage wise mercifull and perfit in all thinges perticipating vnto him his goodnesse righteousnesse and other perfections of God hauing a will that can accorde and agrée in all and by all vnto the will of his Lorde and that altogether by grace without any merit The .vi. Article I Do also beléeue that as the Lorde hath created all things celestiall
diuerse places nor in many places at one very tyme but so in one according to the nature of his glorious body that then hee cannot be in anye other otherwise he should not be a true and naturall body but a shadow that is to saye a thing appearing and not being the which is false and altogether against our faith And therfore I say and confesse the true and naturall body of Christe to be in heauen and that from thence he shall not departe vntyll he hath put all his enemies vnder his féete and come for to iudge both the quick and the dead The .xxxviii. Article I Beléeue when the number of the elect children of God shal be accomplished the Lorde Iesus in that same bodye with which hee suffered with which he roase and ascended into heauen shall come with great power and maiestie visibly in a clowde euen as he ascended and that shal be to iudge the quick and the dead and shall geue vnto euery one according to Iustice vnto the good which shal be founde among them after theyr goodnesse and to the wicked after their naughtines That iudgement shal be general that is to say all shal be called and summoned to appeare personally by the voice of the Aungell to which all shall appeare aswell the good as euyll the elect as reprobate that euery one doo make and render vp his accompt and reckoning before the iudiciall seate of Christe of all thinges done by them in this world be it good or ill yea for euery idle worde the which the world doth not thinke to be sin Then shall all those be saued which shal be found written in the booke of lyfe The .xxxix. Article I Beleeue that then shal be made the totall and last seperation of the good from the wicked of the elect from the reprobate the which nowe are mingled together as the good fishes and badde in the nettes the chaffe with the corne and the darnell with the wheate But when the haruest commeth he which hath the fanne in his handes will make the seperation and wil put the corne aside in his garner but the chaf and tares shal be cast into the fyre for to burne eternally Then shal be perfectlye declared and knowen the iustice and mercy of the Lorde with the fruite of the Crosse and blood of Iesus Christe the which now wee know onely but in parte Then the good and elect shal know the stone vpon which they builded theyr fayth and hope and shall not be confounded And the wicked shall also knowe the stone vpon which they stumbled the which they reiected coÌ„temned and despised and shal be confounded Then the Lorde Iesus shall make an ende of his office and ministrie for his mistical body shal be altogether accomplished with all his members and shall render the kingdome and his spowse which is the Church vnto God his father al faire glorious erreprehensible and acceptable without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Then shal be perfectly vanquished and confounded Sathan hell sinne and death and all the other aduersaries of Christe whoe at this present do exercise yet tirrany ouer all his members holding them vnder their griefes bondes and snares But then wee as people rauished for Ioy will reherse the words that are written O Death where is thy stinge O Hel where is thy victory But thanks be vnto GOD which hath geuen vs victorye through Iesus Christe our Lorde The xl Article I Beléeue that that Iudgement being meruelous terrible and feareful vnto the wicked and reprobate is much to be desired and of great consolation vnto the good faythfull and elect for asmuch as theÌ„ their total redemption to wéete of body shal be ended and that they shall receiue the fruit of their labors Their Innocencie shal be openly declared and known of all the worlde and they shall sée the vengaunce and condemnation of the wicked which haue tirrannously afflicted and tormented them in this world whose iniquitye and wickednesse shal be manifested by the Lorde and cleerely knowen of all to theyr great confusion and to the honor and glory of the iust children of God the which shal be in perfect peace and traÌ„quillitie and shall haue full ioye and fruition of all that which the Lorde hath promised and prepared for them that loue him Which the eye hath not séene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entered into mans harte Therefore I tarry and looke for that great day of retribution with a great desire as the same which bringeth and declareth vnto me my chiefest goodnesse The .xli. Article I Beléeue that wee shall not all dye but we shal be all changed in a moment that is to say that in that latter day and general iudgement some shal be found lyuing which shal neuer dye by seperation of the body and soule but shall abide so alyue eternally that Christe maye be knowen Lorde and Iudge of the quick and the dead and his grace and merite may be founde greater then the sinne of Adam For as sin hath raigned to death In like-maner must grace raign through Iesus Christ to eternall lyfe Neuerthelesse they shal be chaunged and transformed from corruption into incorruption from mortallity to immortallity from despising into glory insomuch that they shal be the chiefest of of all the giftes graces and benefites which the Lorde shall geue vnto those which before were dead whome they shall not go before but all together shal be rauished in the clowdes before in the ayre and also they shall be alwayes together with the Lorde BEholde for the seconde point of my faith touching Iesus Christe the second person of the Trinitie and of the restoration and repairing of man don by him Let vs now come vnto the third point which is of the holie Ghoste by whome man is restored maintained and keept in his being I beleeue in the holy Ghoste The .xlii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is one diuine persoÌ„ distinct from the father and the son procéeding of them both equall in all thorow all and coeternall with them by whom the Church hath byn alwayes is yet and shal be ruled conducted directâ—d and gouerned vntill the consumation of this world by whome also haue spoken al the holy Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christe Therefore I beléeue nor receiue any other Vicar or Lieuetenant of Christ in earth within his Church but the holy Ghost which cannot be receiued of the wicked The .xliii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is the wages and ernest of our celestiall enheritance by whom we are assured assertained and liuely perswaded in our consciences that wee are the children of God and adoptiue brethreÌ„ of Iesus Christe and consequentlye Coheyres of eternall lyfe That is also the finger of God the which printeth in our mindes the
and other vertues gifts and goodnes which the eternall father hath put in him The .lxix. Article I Beléeue that the holy Fathers Patriarkes Prophetes and all other faythfull and good people which haue gone before vs and are dead in faith dyd knowe farre of him that shoulde come to wete Christe by the worde and fayth and did receyue asmuch and the verie same which wee receyue nowe by the Sacramentes who also were of the verye same Churche fayth and lawe of which we are Christians as wee are and haue vsed the same Sacramentes in figure which we vse in déede The .lxx. Article I Beléeue that vnto that holy Table ought to be admytted but onelie the faythfull the true contryte and penitent and all that are vnworthy to be reiected for feare least they defyle contamynate the holy meates which the Lorde geueth not but vnto this domesticall and faithfull I call vnworthy all Infydels Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God Heretikes and all people which make sectes for to breake the vnitie of the Churche all periured persones all those which are rebellious against their fathers and mothers and their superiors all seditious persons quarrellers fighters whoremongers théeues rauishers couetous droonkerdes gluttons and generallye all those which leade a slaunderous and dyssolute lyfe Such manner of people haue no parte nor portion in the kingdom of God therfore they ought to be reiected and put out of the Church with whome it is not lawfull to frequent eate drinke or contract allyaunce except it bee peraduenture to win and leade them to repentaunce The .lxxi. Article I Beléeue that the popishe Masse is not nor can not be the holy Supper of the Lorde But a méere inuention of lying and wicked men altogether contrarie vnto the same as the nyght to the daye Beliall to Christe The which shall be knowen of all men more clearelie then the noone day by the conference and collation made betwéene the institution of that Supper recyted and written by the Euangelistes and chieflye by the Apostle Saint Paul and the celebration of the Masse Therefore it is not a remembraunce of the true sacrifice that is to saye of the death and Passion of Christe as the holye Supper is But a renouncing of the same for so much as it attrybuteth that which belongeth vnto the onelie blood of Christ shedde vpon the crosse to wete satisfaction purgation and remission of sinnes with collation of grace and maketh vs to worship the creature in steede of the Creator a péece of breade in stéede of Iesus Christe our onely Lord sauiour and redéemer The .lxxii. Article I Beléeue the thirde marke of the Church which is the Ecclesiastical discipline to be greatly profitable yea necessary in the Catholike church for the consolatioÌ„ of the good correctio of the wicked The which also I receyue submyt my selfe to the same knowing that it is the ordinaunce of Christe in the Gospell The which also was practised by the Apostles in the primatiue Church that all might be done honestlie and in good order which is an honest and necessarie thing in euery Congregation The .lxxiii. Article I Beléeue the power to bynde and loose excommunicate and absolue which we call commonly the keies of the Churche to bee geuen of God not vnto one man or two or to any particularly but vnto al the Church that is to saye to all the faythfull and beléeuing in Christe not for to destroye waste or consume but for to buylde vp and aduaunce it altogether Therefore I saye and confesse that the excommunication or absolution of the same ought not nor can not be geuen at the appetyte or wyll of some perticularlie but by the consent of all the Churche or at least of the greatest best and holyest parte of the same congregated and assembled in the name of Christ with prayers The .lxxiiii. Article I Beléeue that excoÌ„munication executed duelye according as Iesus Christe hath declared and commaunded in his Gospell to bee of so great aucthoritie power strength that it can shutte men out of heauen So that all those which are by lawfull excommunication reiected and put out of the Church mylitant they shall be also reiected and put from the Church tryumphant which is in heauen except they repent that is a sharpe sworde for to câ—tte away the rotten members of the mysticall body of Christe which is his Churche A key for to shutte vp the heauens against the wicked and a rodde to chastice correct them The which yet neuerthelesse is not made for to confounde them but as a spyrituall medicine for to amend relieue heale and to set them vp againe froÌ„ which they are fallen The .lxxv. Article I Beléeue that that excommunicaon which is the last staffe of the Churche ought not nor can not be cast against any person which first hath not receyued and made profession of the faith and christian Religion As also it cannot be pronounced for euerie small thing as are debtes or other lyke thinges Nor also be executed against all sinners but onely against publycke rebellious and obstynate sinners towards whome the worde of God and the brotherly correction commauÌ„ded by Christ in the Gospel taketh no place Wherfore all those do greatly abuse that staffe which do excommunicate the Christians for smal things with out hauing suffred the brotherly correction In lyke manner also those which do excommunicate the Iewes Turkes Heathens other Infidels yea also the Flyes and other brute beastes wylling to cast put out of the christian Church all that which neuer was in it The .lxxvi. Article I Beléeue besides the same that the vnitie of spyrite wyll peace concorde and loue that is to saye true loue and brotherly delection amiable the mutuall supporting the one towardes the other is also one of the markes and signes of the true calholyke Church of the faithfull childreÌ„ of God by which they are known to be of the schoole number of the Disciples of Iesus Christ And we must not glory of the tytle of Christian or of the fayth saying I beléeue I beléeue except we haue that loue peace charitie and true vnitie of the harte together agréeing the one with the other in all good works For the true faith neuer goeth without these things by which also it declareth manifesteth it self vnto al. These are the signs marks of the true christian church to which she is bound tyed and not to a certaine place tyme or persons And there she is perfect where these markes are founde and exercised and not otherwise that if one of that fayle then it is not perfect And although that that total perfection can be founde for the estate of this present world in the Church myllytant yet the faulte ought to be acknowledged before the Lorde and to endeuor to